SOMERVILLE — George Riehman and George Kavanaugh, a long-time volunteer firefighter with the Somerville Fire Department, were inseparable.

They grew up together in the borough, living three block apart. They went to school together and joined the U.S. Army together. They fought fires together as members of Engine Company No. 1. They were members of American Legion Post 12 in Somerville together.

Friday night, Riehman, 74, was with his best friend and heard his screams as Kavanaugh, 75, was killed in front of the Lincoln Hose Company Fire House, the victim of a hit-and-run, borough police said.

The pair were leaving the viewing of another fallen firefighter, Charlie Becker. Riehman had left to get his car and Kavanaugh was waiting for him in front of the fire house at 34 Warren St. around 9:30 p.m., police said

"Some of the guys got together after the viewing and we had just left the fire house," Riehman told NJ Advance Media this morning. "I was going to get my car and a guy backed over George, rolled over him again and then sped off.

"I heard George yell so loud. It was the loudest yell I ever heard. If the driver of that car didn't see George, I know he heard him scream. I was in shock."

Riehman said he didn't get a good look at the driver. All he remembers is that the vehicle was a light colored SUV.

"It all happened so fast," he said.

"No one deserves to die like that," said Anita Kavanaugh, who was married to her husband for 20 years. "The way it happened. It's very tough. It's very tough. My husband loved his family. He was dedicated to the fire department. He was always willing to be there for people. We have four kids and seven grandchildren. He loved them all."

Kavanaugh was the former chief of the Somerville Fire Department in 1985 and 1986 and held a variety of other posts within the department over the years. He was also a life member of the state's Firemen's Association. Friends say he was fun to be around.

"He had a love for being a firefighter," said Somerville assistant fire chief Brian Iselin, who know Kavanaugh for 20 years. "It was his passion. He loved it."

The Somerville Police Department along with the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) is investigating the accident.

Kavanaugh was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset by the Somerville Rescue Squad where he died from his injuries, police said. The hit-and-run driver and vehicle have not yet been identified and the investigation is continuing, police said.

Kavanaugh was employed as a maintenance worker at Johns-Manville Corp. in Manville, Immaculate Conception Church and Lab Corp for more than 40 years, retiring in 1999.

Visitation for Kavanaugh will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Bruce C. VanArsdale Funeral Home, 111 N. Gaston Ave., with firemans services at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

A funeral Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Conception Church, 35 Mountain Ave. Interment will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery in Bridgewater.

"Anybody who knew my husband knew the type of person he was," Antia Kavanaugh said. Everybody liked him. He was an asset to the community. He was proud to be a veteran.

We had some very good times together. I'm going to miss him so much."

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Somerville Police Department Detective Bureau at 908-725-6900 or 908-725-0331, or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tip Line at (888) 577- TIPS (8477).

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.