Joseph Toscano had a quiet presence, but the veteran Watertown firefighter knew how to light up a room.

“My impression of Joe was just solid. [His wife] Maureen and those kids could count on him at every moment of every day. His sons would light up when he walked in the room,’’ said Patty O’Connor, who worships at St. Mary Parish in Randolph, where Toscano was a parishioner. “It was like the sun came out when they looked and saw dad.’’

A day after Toscano, 54, suffered a medical emergency while battling a two-alarm house fire and died, his fellow firefighters mourned Saturday during two solemn processions. Toscano lived in Randolph with his wife and five children, who are ages 12 to 19.

The formal tributes to Toscano began as fire continued to take a stark toll across Massachusetts, killing two people in house fires in Bourne and Winthrop for a total three fatalities in 24 hours.

So far in 2017, blazes have killed 23 civilians and Toscano, according to the state Department of Fire Services.

During the same period in previous years, there was an average of 16 fire fatalities, said state Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey.

“It’s certainly something of great concern for us,’’ he said. “March isn’t even over.’’

In Winthrop, Charles Balliro, a 68-year-old lawyer, died Saturday after being pulled from his beachfront home, where a fire erupted on the second floor at 1:37 a.m., said Fire Chief Paul Flanagan.

Firefighters learned of the blaze from a passing motorist who spotted smoke and called 911, he said. The home didn’t have working smoke alarms, according to Flanagan.

Another fire in Bourne killed a woman in her 60s Friday afternoon, officials said. The victim hasn’t been identified.

Investigators haven’t determined what caused the fires in Winthrop and Bourne, but they are not considered suspicious.

Ostroskey, the fire marshal, said heating and electrical systems and the improper disposal of smoking materials have caused most fatal fires this year. Many times, the buildings lacked working smoke alarms, he said.

“It just can’t be stated how important that is,’’ Ostroskey said. “That’s your first line of defense.’’

The mourning for Toscano produced an outpouring grief, beginning Saturday morning when the firefighter’s body was escorted from Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge to the medical examiner’s office in Boston.

The procession included a Watertown fire engine, ladder truck, and chief’s car, said Rob Mannix, president of Watertown Firefighters, Local 1347.

As the hearse carrying Toscano’s body drove on the Massachusetts Turnpike, Mannix said, Boston fire companies saluted from highway overpasses.

“It was a nice honor,’’ Mannix said. “We had tears in our eyes.’’

Toscano was in a room where fire was burning at 29 Merrifield Ave. when he collapsed, Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Bob Quinn has said.

It is unclear what caused Toscano to be stricken or what caused the blaze, which investigators have described as accidental.

In the afternoon, Toscano’s body was taken from the medical examiner’s office to Cartwright Funeral Home in Randolph.

Dozens of mourners gathered outside to observe the black hearse, which was flanked by firefighters and police officers who walked with the slow-moving vehicle.

Toscano grew up in New York, where his parents died when he was young, and later moved to Watertown, Mannix said.

After joining the Fire Department in 1996, he remained in Watertown for several years and then moved to Randolph, where he built the home where his family lived, he said.

“I can’t think of anybody who’s going to be missed more,’’ Mannix said. “It’s terrible.’’

The Rev. Ron Coyne, the former pastor at St. Mary, said he plans to celebrate Toscano’s funeral Mass. The family said Saturday that visiting hours will be Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Randolph from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Wednesday St. Patrick Catholic Church in Watertown.

The Watertown church also hosted the funeral Mass for Boston Fire Lieutenant Edward Walsh Jr., who died with Firefighter Michael Kennedy while fighting a massive blaze on Beacon Street in the Back Bay on March 26, 2014.

Coyne said he visited with Toscano’s family Friday night and Saturday morning.

“They’re really the all-American family,’’ said Coyne. “It was always Joe and Maureen. Maureen and Joe. Always together.’’

He said Toscano set the bar high for his children.

“I think the good thing about Joe was he wasn’t set apart from others,’’ Coyne said. “He was a good human being and I’d like to believe that’s what most people are.’’

A charitable fund has been established on behalf of Toscano’s family, a Boston Fire Department spokesman said. Donations should be directed to the Watertown Firefighters Relief Association/Toscano Fund at 99 Main St., Watertown, MA 02472, he said.

O’Connor said she expects the family will get a lot of support from the parish, where Maureen teaches religious education and the children are current and former altar servers.

She said she fielded many phone calls about Toscano on Friday, including a conversation with his widow, who delivered the solemn news.

“Maureen is so loved. I think they’ll find the parish and the Mass on Sunday to be a very soft place to land,’’ said O’Connor, who is the director of religious education and pastoral associate.

“Sometimes faith and walking into a parish where you’re loved and respected can feel like a family,’’ she said. “They have a family here as they move forward.’’

Globe correspondent Nicole Fleming contributed. Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauracrimaldi.