When routine turned to crisis

There was nothing more than a thin haze of smoke drifting from the building when firefighters arrived at 298 Beacon St. on Wednesday afternoon.

A tribute to the two fallen firefighters took place on the ice before Thursday's Bruins game at TD Garden.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

A tribute to the two fallen firefighters took place on the ice before Thursday's Bruins game at TD Garden.

Annemarie Federico (from left), Mary Jean Slavin, and Jean Lovulo gathered across the street from the funeral home.

Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

People gathered across the street from a funeral home that received the body of one of the fallen firefighters.

Kevin Preston of Engine 21 saluted a motorcade carrying one of the fallen firefighters to a West Roxbury funeral home.

Bill Brett/Globe staff

Kevin Preston of Engine 21 saluted a motorcade carrying one of the fallen firefighters to a West Roxbury funeral home.

Lieutenant Edward Walsh (left) and firefighter Michael Kennedy were killed in the blaze.

Boston Fire Department

Lieutenant Edward Walsh (left) and firefighter Michael Kennedy were killed in the blaze.

A candlelight vigil was held in East Boston's Central Square.

Jim Davis/Globe staff

A candlelight vigil was held in East Boston's Central Square.

Firefighters stood at attention as a motorcade carrying one of the fallen firefighters drove by on Massachusetts Avenue.

Barry Chin/Globe staff

Firefighters stood at attention as a motorcade carrying one of the fallen firefighters drove by on Massachusetts Avenue.

Johnny Boychuk (left) and Zdeno Chara wore hats with the Fire Department's insignia during pregame warm-ups.

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

Johnny Boychuk (left) and Zdeno Chara wore hats with the Fire Department's insignia during pregame warm-ups.

Ladders rested against windows covered in ice at the scene of Wednesday's nine-alarm fire on Beacon Street in the Back Bay.

Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Ladders rested against windows covered in ice at the scene of Wednesday's nine-alarm fire on Beacon Street in the Back Bay.

Needham firefighter Tommy O'Brien and his daughter, Peyton, 3, dropped off food at the firehouse on Boylston Street.

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Needham firefighter Tommy O'Brien and his daughter, Peyton, 3, dropped off food at the firehouse on Boylston Street.

Flowers and notes were left outside the fire station.

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Flowers and notes were left outside the fire station.

Members of the US Coast Guard had a moment of silence after dropping off a flag.

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Members of the US Coast Guard had a moment of silence after dropping off a flag.

Visitors and media lined up outside fire station on Boylston Street.

David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Visitors and media lined up outside fire station on Boylston Street.

A fire department official said authorities had no theory yet on the cause of the inferno that killed two firefighters.

Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

A fire department official said authorities had no theory yet on the cause of the inferno that killed two firefighters.

Firefighters placed black bunting on the front of the Boylston Street station.

Firefighters placed black bunting on the front of the Boylston Street station.

Edward J. Walsh Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father, uncle, and cousin to become a firefighter.

Edward J. Walsh Jr.

Walsh was dedicated to job

Fire Lt. Edward J. Walsh Jr. was a father of three and a powerhouse on the softball field.

Firefighter Michael Kennedy with Alex, whom he had mentored through Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2007.

Michael R. Kennedy

Kennedy a quiet community presence

Long before Mike Kennedy gave his life protecting his city, he gave his time, lots of it, to quiet community work.

kevin cullen

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2014/03/28/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/Kevin_Cullen_150px-13069.jpg Their singular calling is ingrained for life

Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy ran into a burning building to save lives, knowing they could lose their own. Because they were firefighters, Boston firefighters.

State Rep. Nick Collins, developer Joe Fallon, Mayor Martin Walsh, Cornerstone chief executive David Reilly, Fallon company executive vice president Richard Martini, and acting BRA director Brian Golden.

Shirley Leung/Globe Staff

Shirley Leung

Note to BRA: Honeymoon is over

Frustration is building as developers lose patience with waiting for basic guidance on how to proceed on projects.

Tiffany Locke (left) and Emily Shafer prepared shoes for the exhibit, which will open on April 7.

Marathon memorial enshrined

Since the fall, a team of archivists, volunteers, and private donors has been painstakingly preserving the fragile artifacts of a city in mourning.

Marijuana licensees to face new scrutiny

Companies approved for provisional licenses to run medical marijuana dispensaries will be required to undergo extensive additional background checks.

For tough cancer cases, advice from the cloud

A Boston-based medical service is creating an online platform that can act like a virtual group consult for physicians and specialists from all fields.

Opinion

SCOT LEHIGH

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2014/03/28/BostonGlobe.com/EditorialOpinion/Images/Scot_Lehigh_150px-1996.jpg Massachusetts as farm state

The state’s pastoral sector has developed an idealistic energy all its own, one that seems to have real appeal to the young.

Nation & World

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Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was the chief nemesis of ousted Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych and spent most of his presidency incarcerated.

Ex-Ukrainian leader to run for president

Yulia Tymoshenko, who for a decade has made Ukrainian politics an impassioned melodrama, said Thursday that she would run for president.

Politics

Mark R. Fisher, left, and Charlie Baker.

Dispute over convention vote roils state GOP

Charlie Baker is the Republican party’s consensus candidate for governor this fall, but his nomination has by no means brought a party to consensus.

Movies

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movie review

Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan in a scene from director Roger Michell’s “Le Week-End.”

A poignant ‘Week-End’ in the city of love

This dark comedy about a disastrous 30th anniversary week-end offers funny and affecting performances by Lindsay Duncan and Jim Broadbent.