Courier Life Publications

Gathering at the Salty Dog, an FDNY-themed neighborhood eatery at 7509 3rd Avenue, residents remembered the sacrifices of Firefighter Joey “Botz” Graffagnino, who tended bar at the popular night spot in between tours at Ladder Company 5 in lower Manhattan.

With a $20 cover charge, as well as several raffles and contests, workers at the Salty Dog raised over $30,000 for Graffagnino’s family.

Bereaved friends and neighbors said that Graffagnino was tending bar at the Salty Dog just before he began his shift on August 18.

Graffagnino died that night — just a few days before his birthday — as he and his crew were dispatched to put out a fire at the Deutsche Bank Building at 130 Liberty Street in Lower Manhattan.

The Deutsche Bank Building was seriously damaged during the collapse of the World Trade Center and had remained unoccupied for several years.

It was in the process of being demolished when the fire broke out.

Both Graffagnino and Staten Island Firefighter Robert Beddia died of smoke inhalation after they ran out of oxygen while fighting the blaze on the 14th floor, reportedly waiting for water that never came.

Fire officials later ascertained that a lit cigarette sparked the blaze.

Three high-ranking FDNY officials were relieved of their commands after it was determined that they had neglected to hold routine inspections on the building’s standpipe, which would have brought water to firefighters on the upper floors.

Over a thousand mourners turned out to bid farewell to the beloved neighborhood resident as Firefighter Graffagnino was laid to rest during a service at St. Ephrem’s Church, 929 Bay Ridge Parkway.

Graffagnino leaves behind a wife and two children. The money raised at the Salty Dog went directly to them, organizers said.

At the same time, the city has hired a high-powered law and public relations firm to handle the growing investigation into the city’s culpability in Firefighter Graffagnino’s death.

The city said it hired Gary Naftalis and his firm Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel because of all the “subpoenas that have been issued by the Manhattan District Attorney for voluminous documents,” as well as to “advise and cooperate with the District Attorney’s investigation, and the serious issues that have been raised about actions leading up to the fire.”

As of late last week, workers at the Salty Dog were still raising money for Graffagnino’s family.

Contributions can be made at the restaurant, they told reporters.