Firefighters and residents in Listowel, Ont., pay tribute as the bodies of two volunteer firefighters are removed from the scene of a fire. CBC

Thousands of people lined a Listowel, Ont., street Thursday to honour two volunteer firefighters who died battling a blaze in the town.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was among those attending the funeral of Ray Walter, 30, and Ken Rea, 56, who died last week after a burning store collapsed on them.

Police officers and firefighters in uniform were among those gathered outside the Memorial Arena in Listowel, a town of about 6,000 northwest of Kitchener.

A large, red fire engine led the funeral procession that included firefighters and a pipe and drum band marching under sunny skies.

"You left us so unexpectedly. We didn't get to say good bye," said Sara Furey, Rea's daughter, during an emotional address.

"Fire fighting was in your blood and very near and dear to our hearts. We love everything you stand for and everything you did."

Aaron Saltzman of CBC News covered Thursday's memorial and spoke to firefighters who came from communities all over the area.

"Firefighting is a brotherhood and we stand together to support each other," firefighter Jamie Sher from Selkirk, Ont., told Saltzman Thursday afternoon. "And when we have a fallen firefighter like these two here, there is no question that anybody who was available would come up and stand with them and stand with the family."

"We are a tight-knit community," said Rick Wilson, a firefighter from Fergus, Ont. "We're here with the volunteers to honour a couple of fallen brothers and we felt it was our duty to come and march for the boys."

Carl Pearson, president of the Firefighters Association of Ontario, advised his members to dress for the weather as there likely won't be room for all of them in the arena.

"That's not a concern for firefighters," said Pearson. "Firefighters are a different and hardy breed. They don't mind standing outside whether it's raining or snow, or what have you."

John Kobarda, chief of the London, Ont., fire department, said at least 60 of his members were attending the funeral while another eight firefighters will provide backfill at the fire station in Listowel.

"It's the least we can do to provide the opportunity for the North Perth firefighters to attend and honour their own fallen," he said.

A black ribbon campaign has been organized to honour the firefighters, and routes into the community are marked with the small flags of remembrance.

There was a minute of silence in the Ontario legislature earlier in the week for the two men, and flags were flown at half-mast.

There are several investigations into circumstances surrounding the fire and the deaths of the two volunteers.

Ontario Provincial Police are appealing to anyone who was in the store before the fire occurred to contact them.

With files from The Canadian Press