A funeral is being held at St Patrick’s Cathedral for a New York City firefighter who was killed while battling a blaze on a film set.

The flag-draped coffin bearing Lt Michael Davidson arrived at the famous cathedral on a fire engine adorned with his name and black-and-purple bunting.

Along the route, American flags were draped overhead.

Throngs of white-gloved firefighters in dress uniform stood at attention along Fifth Avenue.

A bagpipe played the mournful strains of Amazing Grace as the casket was carried into the cathedral.

Mr Davidson died early Friday. He had been fighting a fire in the basement of a Harlem building where a movie starring Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe and Alec Baldwin was being filmed.

Mr Davidson leaves behind a wife and four young children.