3 Fallen Firefighters Were Expectant Dads

More than a thousand people gathered in Prescott, Ariz., yesterday to mourn 19 firefighters who died battling an out-of-control wildfire. Speakers including Rep. Trent Franks praised the men for their heroism and sacrifice, the AP reports. Authorities have now released the names of the 19 victims, 14 of whom were in their 20s and three of whom were expectant fathers, reports the New York Daily News. Two of the men had followed their fathers into the fire service.

The Yarnell Hill blaze—which is still burning out of control—almost completely wiped out the Granite Mountain Hotshots unit based in Prescott, the Telegraph reports. The sole survivor was moving the crew's truck when winds shifted and sent the flames toward his colleagues. "He feels terribly, and we all feel terribly, and we have very few words that express that sort of sorry," the town's fire chief says. "When you take a person in your arms and hug 'em, you know, you don't have to say too much." The Arizona Diamondbacks plan to wear a patch on their uniform for the rest of the season to honor the men. Arizona politicians joined in the mourning via social media, Politico adds, with Gov. Jan Brewer calling it "as dark a day as I can remember." (More Arizona stories.)