A group of firefighters saluted a fallen colleague during his funeral procession down the 101 Freeway in the Westlake Village area on Monday, Sky5 aerial video showed.
Ryan Osler, a 38-year-old Ventura County fire engineer, was killed in a rollover crash in Lompoc on the morning of Sept. 21 as he headed to fight the Canyon Fire burning along the Central Coast.
A memorial service was held for the fallen firefighter late Monday morning at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. The “Celebration of Life Service” included a flyover.
After the service concluded, at least a dozen Fire Department vehicles headed down the 101 Freeway, including one carrying Osler’s flag draped-casket, aerial footage taken around 1:30 p.m. showed.
At one point, more than a dozen firefighters –some carrying flags – stood at attention on top of emergency vehicles along a 101 overpass as the flag-draped casket of their fallen brother was escorted to a private burial during the procession.
Osler, a resident of Santa Clarita who was stationed at Fire Station 42 in Moorpark, had worked for the department for 18 years. He began his lengthy career as a member of the Ventura County Fire Handcrew before being hired as a trainee firefighter in 2006.
He was promoted to fire engineer six years after that, according to the department.
Osler is survived by his wife and two children.
A fund has been set up to benefit his family. Click here for more information.
KTLA’s Melissa Pamer and Mark Kono contributed to this story.
