Nation mourns the death of hero ‘brothers’ Andrew O’Dwyer and Geoff Keaton

The two helmets they died in, sat among a mounting jumble of flowers on either side of a plaque to fallen firemen bearing an ode of rememberance.

Flowers and the men’s helmets adorn a plaque of remembrance at the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade. Picture: AAP

It was a stark tribute to the two firefighting “brothers”: the two helmets they died in, sat among a mounting jumble of flowers on either side of a plaque to fallen firemen bearing an ode of rememberance.

Geoff Keaton and his mate Andrew O’Dwyer have been lauded as heroes, who died in the “worst imaginable circumstances”.

The two young men, best mates who both had children within two days of each other last year, had been trying to contain one of the megafires bearing down on Sydney, in Green Wattle Creek, on the city’s southwestern fringe.

Exhausted after yet another day of firefighting the pair had been travelling in a truck convoy near the town of Buxton when a tree fell in front of them, forcing the tanker to roll off the road.

Both men died instantly, while their three fellow volunteer firefighters from Horsley Park managed to escape and were rushed to the nearby Liverpool Hospital where they were treated for superficial burns and released on Friday.

A Horsley Park RFS member is comforted at a memorial for fellow volunteers Geoff Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer. Picture: AAP

Their deaths occurred on the same day at least 20 houses were lost in the area as the fire ripped through the nearby townships of Buxton, Balmoral and Bargo in the Wollondilly shire.

Mr Keaton’s father Wes had been out fighting the Gospers Mountain fire in the Blue Mountains at the time his son died.

“They are at a loss,” NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said of the pair’s families.

“They’re in extraordinary shock and natural despair at the enormity of what’s confronting them and to try and comprehend the tragedy.”

The men were “very close” and “well respected”, Mr Fitzsimmons said.

“They’re a close-knit brigade... they work together, socialise together,” he said.

“Their respective partners and wives shared a lot in common with their camaraderie and connection with the brigade.”

Fellow firefighters console each other. Picture: AAP

As social media tributes to Mr O”Dwyer and Mr Keaton were shared across the country, images of the two young dads, hugging their toddlers and beaming at the camera, prompted an outpouring of emotion from friends and strangers.

Gary Tyrer, Mr O’Dwyer’s brother-in-law, posted: “He loved being in the RFS. Feel sad for his wife and little girl and my wife and her parents. Sad day.”

Other tributes remembered the two men for making the “ultimate sacrifice”.

“Real heroes don’t wear capes, they wear yellow uniforms,” one person posted.

In another: “This is heartbreaking… the death of ‘brothers’ on active duty has, and always will, rock me to the core.”

Mr O’Dwyer, 36, had three children with his partner Melissa, two boys and a 19-month old daughter, Charlotte. He had been a member of the the NSW Rural Fire Service brigade since 2003.

Mr Keaton, 32, joined in 2006 and was the popular deputy captain of the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in western Sydney. He is survived by his partner Jess their son, Harvey.

The firefighting truck in which the two men were killed. Picture: Adam Yip

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian spoke of the “remarkable individuals” who simply wanted to protect their community.

“Every time a loved ones goes out to fight a fire you hope they come back through the front door,’ Ms Berajiklian said.

“I don’t think you can see a worse set of circumstances than seeing two young dads lose their lives in this way.”

NSW Rural Fire Service Association president Brian McDonough said the firefighting fraternity felt devastated by the deaths.

“Our members know that what we do can be dangerous, but nothing can take away the pain we all feel when facing such terrible loss,” Mr McDonough said in a statement.