3 days ago
New Kensington Fire Department renamed to honor firefighter who died in line of duty
Thursday marked 30 years since the New Kensington Fire Department lost one of its own in the line of duty.
A memorial service was held on Thursday to remember Eric Lee Mangieri, and the fire station was dedicated in his honor. It was a touching tribute to a life taken too soon, a man who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
"His brief moment here, he made a hell of an impact," New Kensington Fire Department Chief Ed Saliba said.
On August 7, 1995, firefighter Eric Lee Mangieri of New Kensington Fire Department Company 4 died while looking for people who might've been trapped inside a burning house on Freeport Road.
"Within about 45 minutes, things turned to hell real fast, and Eric was trapped and killed, unfortunately. It was our darkest day," Chief Saliba said. "That day, a pall was cast over our fire department and our city. It took us a very long time to move on. We never got over it, and we never will."
Mangieri is New Kensington's only firefighter to die in the line of duty. He was 25 years old and had been with the department for two years.
Firefighters from throughout the area gathered to remember their fallen brother Thursday night.
"Eric was a brother, a brother firefighter. I was at the fire, as was my father. And I actually did CPR on Eric from the house, even while he was in the hospital. It's important that everybody remembers Eric and the sacrifice that he gave to this community," said Pamela Williams, president of New Kensington Fire Company 4.
A memorial to him already stands tall outside, and now the station is named the Eric Lee Mangieri Fire House.
"It's very important to our family just to know that he is not forgotten," said Carrie Distilo, Mangieri's younger sister.
The fateful day still feels like yesterday for Distilo.
"This just solidifies everything, and it just makes it permanent. When I see that up there, I just think of him protecting the fire department. He's keeping an eye over the firemen and his brothers as well as his family because being a fireman was like another family to him," she said.
Distilo plans to carry the bond with her family and the firefighters for her brother.
"He was a very hardworking person, and one of his greatest characteristics was his brilliant smile, a smile that I will never, ever forget. He was a very giving person," Chief Saliba said.
"He just loved everybody, and I know he's looking down right now and he is smiling," said Distilo.
Mangiere's sacrifice will never be forgotten, and he'll always be remembered as a hero.
"He never doubted not once to hesitate to help anybody, and that's why he became a fireman," Distilo said.
Thursday's memorial service started off the Western Pennsylvania Firemen's Association Convention, which runs through Monday in New Kensington. Some of the events include a car cruise at 9 a.m. on Saturday, a parade in downtown New Kensington at 3 and the battle of the barrel contest at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
