On Friday, Fire Lt. Robert Ryan Jr. dropped off a flier at the Ace Hardware store in West Brighton advertising a toy drive for children at a burn center.

Three days later, scores of Ryan's comrades stood vigil not far away, on the sidewalk and steps leading to the Harmon Home for Funerals, gathering in the chill night air to say goodbye. Hundreds of mourners stood in a line that extended nearly a block. Last night's wake was open to the public. A viewing just for the family was held in the afternoon.

The 17-year veteran and father of four was killed early Sunday in a house fire on Van Buren Street, in New Brighton.

Dozens of firefighters from Engine Co. 155, to which Ryan was assigned, and Ladder Co. 78, which shares the so-called "Hot Corner" firehouse at Brighton Avenue, snapped to salute as family members arrived just before 7 p.m.

They did not comment, but a brother-in-law, Victor Iacovano, read a statement on their behalf thanking the community and the FDNY for its support and prayers.

Ryan, 46, had just led a group of firefighters into the burning attic of 39 Van Buren at 12:28 a.m. Sunday when part of a ceiling collapsed and dislodged his breathing apparatus. He was pulled from the house almost immediately but could not be revived.

"You couldn't ask for a better leader of men. He treated his firefighters as though they were his own kids," said Capt. John Graziano at the wake. "That was one of his pet drills, actually, firefighter removal. We're going to be bonding for a while."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials said yesterday that it most likely was caused by faulty wiring and certainly began in the attic. There do not appear to be any structural issues that led to the ceiling collapse; rather, it was described as a "routine fire" that ended in tragedy.

The Engine 155 pumper truck, a brand-new Seagrave in service only a few days before Ryan rode it for the last time, had its windshield painted in the fallen firefighter's memory yesterday. "In Memory of ..." reads a cursive white script at the top of one window, followed by "Lt. Robert J. Ryan Jr." in the other.

The firehouse, now draped in black bunting, will continue the toy drive Ryan was promoting last week.

Ryan had planned to distribute the gifts to children in Staten Island University Hospital's burn ward and pediatric unit on Dec. 18.

He become a friend of the hospital in 2006, when molten plastic dripped down his neck while he was fighting a Brooklyn fire, burning him to the extent that his career was in doubt. He spent a year in painful rehabilitation at the hospital's burn center and helped raise thousands of dollars in donations afterwards.

"It was tough to see someone you love in pain and to fight through it," Iacovano, the brother-in law, said of the year-long recovery. "And then to raise money for the burn center -- what does that say about a person?"

The funeral will be tomorrow, with a mass at 11 a.m. in Sacred Heart R.C. Church, West Brighton. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who on Sunday called Ryan "a brave man who lost his life protecting this city," is expected to speak.

Lt. Niels Jorgensen knew Ryan for 22 years, since they trained for the firefighter's test together. Both also turned to training others in Manhattan following the 9/11 terror attacks, which decimated some firehouses.

"Bobby was known as somebody who could bring everyone back in spirit and morale," Jorgensen said. "New York was lucky to have him."

Phil Helsel is a news reporter for the Advance. He may be reached at helsel@siadvance.com.