Staff report

SALISBURY — A memorial service at 8:30 a.m. today will honor fallen firefighters. The brief ceremony will feature prayers offered by area fire chaplains and ceremonial elements.

The service will be at the Salisbury Firefighters Memorial in the 1400 block of South Main Street.

The firefighting community, friends and family, and the community at large will honor Justin Monroe, 19, and Victor Isler, 40, both of whom died in 2008 in one of the most tragic events in the local firefighting community.

The two were trapped inside a five-alarm fire at a woodworking building. The fire quickly spread from an office to a warehouse. Isler and Monroe were trapped inside after parts of the building collapsed around them.

Capt. Rick Barkley, who was also inside the building, was seriously injured that day. He was rescued by a rapid intervention team. Locke firefighters Bradley McKnight, James Hall and Chief Rusty Alexander also were injured while responding.