Crime & Safety
Procession for Fallen Firefighter to Run through Abington
The Philadelphia Fire Department firefighter will be buried Thursday afternoon at Hillside Cemetery in the Roslyn section of Abington; the procession will likely enter the township at 3 p.m.
Philadelphia Fire Department Capt. Michael Goodwin Sr., who died in the line of duty April 6, will be laid to rest Thursday afternoon at Hillside Cemetery. He served the fire department for almost 30 years.
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Abington Fire Marshal Ken Clark said the funeral procession will likely leave St. Michael’s Lutheran Church on Cumberland Street in Philadelphia at about 2 p.m. and will likely arrive in Abington at about 3 p.m.
The procession will take I95 North to the Woodhaven Road Exit where it will enter Montgomery County on Philmont Avenue, according to Abington Police Lt. Tom McNamara. From there, the procession will travel on Welsh Road to Edge Hill Road until it hits Susquehanna Road, where it will enter the cemetery near the corner of Bradfield and Susquehanna roads.
Find out what's happening in Abingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“The latest expected time [Philadelphia officials] gave us was around 3 o’clock, right at [schools’] dismissal time,” McNamara said. “We’re kind of hoping that the procession is later than that — 3:30 or 4 would be better — but we’re working with the school district to coordinate pickup times.”
McNamara also said that Abington Police are working with SEPTA officials to ensure a smooth procession, as the Roslyn train station is just blocks from the cemetery. If a train is scheduled for that time, SEPTA will have someone to stop the train until the procession has crossed, McNamara said. Buses along Easton Road will likely be detoured.
McNamara said officials chose the Edge Hill Road route because there are fewer traffic lights than on Old York Road. He said residents should use Old York Road if they want to cross the township Thursday afternoon.
Clark said Abington will have cross ladders and flags in the cemetery to honor the fallen firefighter. Honor guards from Abington, as well as other local companies, will be stationed along the route.
A small procession, with a police escort, will leave the cemetery through the main entrance of the cemetery, McNamara said.
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