Mayor Michael Bloomberg was among several city officials to pay their respects that the funeral of a city worker who lost his life in a freak accident at a sewage treatment plant last week. NY1's Roger Clark filed the following report.

A solemn march down Fort Hamilton Parkway led the procession to Saint Ephram's Church for the funeral of Gennaro "Gerry" Montello.

"He was a great guy," said friend Ralph Iacono. "It's a shame, tragedy. We're going to miss him. The city is going to miss him."

A 45-year-old husband and father of two teenagers, Montello was a sewage treatment worker with the city's Department of Environmental Protection. He was killed on Friday when the steel supports of a temporary conveyor belt collapsed. The conveyor belt then fell on top of him.

Montello worked at the Owls Head Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bay Ridge, where he was known as a team player.

"He's the working guy's guy," said co-worker Richard Russo. "From everyone that worked with him, he was the type of person who would be there for you, always giving a helping hand."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on hand to speak at the service, saying Montello was "salt of the earth", someone who made a difference to the city. During the eulogy, a family friend called Montello "a man's man," who lived his life with strength and dignity.

He was a fan of the Rolling Stones, "The Honeymooners," and James Cagney; his sports teams were the Mets, Rangers, Celtics and the Dolphins.

"It's a tremendous loss, not only for his family, but also for the department and everybody else that knew him," said Russo.

A friend told mourners that after the accident, a dying Montello softly asked co-workers to make sure to tell his children he loved them.