A group of Montreal firefighters who rushed to New York to help in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks are among the Quebecers marking the fifth anniversary of the tragedy on Monday.

A number of events are taking place throughout the province to remember 9/11 — including at the Westmount fire department in Montreal, which held a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the time of the first strike on Sept. 11, 2001.

A group from Westmount were among the many Montreal firefighters who travelled to New York to help after the attacks.

Five Westmount firefighters went to Engine Company 54 in Manhattan, which lost 15 of its 16 firefighters in the attacks.

Firefighter Mike Amesse remembered that they had a moving encounter with the company's captain and sole surviving member.

"You could just see the emotion in his face, just saying I can't believe you drove all the way just for us," said Amesse.

"He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. You could just see it in his eyes, that he was thankful for us coming."

Sept. 11 holds special meaning for firefighters because of 343 of their colleagues in New York City died while trying to rescue people from the World Trade Center's twin towers after the suicide attacks.

Other 9/11 memorials in the city on Monday include a free concert for peace in the morning at St. Joseph's Oratory and a service at St. James United Church in the city's downtown, to be hosted by the U.S. consul general.