Hundreds Pay Their Respects to Fallen Firefighter John Gaudet

Firefighters and residents attended calling hours for Binghamton Fire Department veteran John Gaudet, who died of injuries sustained while battling a Main Street blaze.

Several hundred people expressed their condolences to Gaudet's family at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on the city's West Side Tuesday afternoon.

The 40-year-old Gaudet died after a building collapse at the fire scene on February 12.

A funeral Mass will be offered at the church at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Following the Mass, a procession will travel from the church to Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City. The procession will be for family, friends and Binghamton Fire Department members only.

People who live near the church should expect heavy traffic. City officials are asking those not attending the Mass to avoid the area if possible.

The funeral procession will travel from the church off Highland Avenue to Beethoven Street. It will proceed south on Beethoven Street to Riverside Drive. It then will travel east to North Shore Drive to the Court Street exit.

The procession then will travel west on Court Street, turning onto Chapman Street past the fire department headquarters where Gaudet served on the rescue squad.

The procession then will proceed north on Chapman before turning west onto Henry Street before traveling on Chenango Street to West State Street where it will pass Engine Company Number 3.

The procession will travel north on Chenango Street and turn west to cross the Bevier Street bridge. It then will proceed south on Front Street and then west on Prospect Street. It will travel north on Airport Road before turning onto Harry L. Drive where it will pass Johnson City Fire Department headquarters.

The procession is expected to travel north on Richard Street before heading west on Fairview Street to the upper entrance of Calvary Cemetery.

The public should not park on Fairview Street or in the upper section of the cemetery.

Binghamton fire stations are draped in black, with the addition of purple in some cases, during a period of mourning the loss of city Firefighter John "JR" Gaudet.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.