MUNCIE, Ind. --
The widow of a Muncie firefighter killed when the roof of a burning church collapsed offered a tearful thank-you to the community Thursday.
Scott Davis, 40, was found dead in the rubble of the Tabernacle of Praise Church at 2200 E. Fuson Road after the flames were extinguished Wednesday evening.
Fellow firefighters circled the spot where their fellow brother was found, saluting as his body was taken away in a procession.
"Only firefighters remove firefighters from fires," Muncie Fire Chief Sean Burcham told reporters at a news conference Thursday.
Davis, who was once a fire chief in nearby Yorktown, is survived by his wife and three children.
Raeanne Davis wept as her husband was described as a great firefighter, father and man.
"This is not something that I ever thought I would be doing. Scott and I were supposed to grow gray together," she said. "I know that this isn't forever, that this is just for now. We will be with him again."
Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley ordered flags throughout Muncie to be flown at half-staff Thursday to honor Davis.
"I can't imagine someone going through that on our behalf. Our officers go out everyday and risk their lives and, often times, we don't honor them for that," she said.
Two other firefighters were injured battling the church fire.
The church's sanctuary, where the roof collapsed, and an attached building housing classrooms were destroyed. A gymnasium, which was added in 1996, was damaged.
"We just want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with them right now," said church member Mark Watson. "We're really grateful for what they did for our church."
Raeanne Davis thanked members of the community for their well wishes and said her heart was with the church members.
"We've felt your prayers and your love. As important as our church is to us, losing your church is a hard thing to go through," she said. "But if there was a place he was going to pass, no better place than the house of the Lord."
Burcham said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Visitation for Davis will be held Monday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie. His funeral will be held at the facility Tuesday at 11 a.m. He will be buried at Elm Ridge Cemetery following the funeral and a procession.
Copyright 2011 by TheIndyChannel.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
