UPDATE: Ossining Residents ID'd in Fatal Hastings-on-Hudson Tank Explosion

Updated at 1:25 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2015: Ossining residents Luis Jocho, 52, and Segundo Mora, 50, have been identified by Hastings police as the two victims in Thursday’s fuel tank explosion on Hillside Avenue.

The two men worked for Hawthorne-based Three D Industrial Maintenance, and they were the only casualties from the 11:20 a.m. blast. The company’s president, John Dubbioso, has not replied to a request for comment from Patch.

Police believe gasoline vapors may have been inside the underground tank, which exploded when ignited by sparks after the two cut into it. The tank and surrounding soil are being tested to identify its contents.

“The matter continues to be investigated by the Village of Hastings on Hudson Police Department, US Department of Labor- Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation,” said Hastings Police Lt. David Dosin in a statement.

Original story: Gasoline vapors that built up pressure over time is suspected to be the cause of Thursday’s fatal fuel tank explosion on Hillside Avenue in Hastings-on-Hudson, according to police.

A crew from Hawthorne-based Three D Industrial Maintenance was removing the old underground tank from behind the multi-family home Thursday morning when it exploded, killing the two contractors. The workers’ identities were slated to be released by Hastings police Friday.

• Related: UPDATE: Police: ID’s of the Victims Killed in Explosion to be Released Friday

News 12 Westchester reports that police believe that when the workers began cutting into the tank, sparks ignited the vapors and caused the explosion.

“We believe vapors, the tank was sealed, the vapors may have built up in the tank and when the worker went to cut into the tank with a saw the sparks ignited the vapors causing the explosion,” Hastings Police Chief Anthony Visalli told News 12.

The tank exploded 75 feet into the air, but there was no related fire and no other injuries. The two victims are from Westchester, Visalli told The Journal News.

The incident scene has been cleared and is safe, according to police. It is located near Hastings High School and Farragut Middle School, and both were on temporary lockdown Thursday while emergency personnel responded to the explosion.

Click here to read the full story on the News 12 website.

Click here to read the full story on The Journal News website.

Photo: Screen shot of Hillside Avenue scene in Hastings via WNBC-TV

Subscribe to a free email newsletter and news alerts:

BEDFORD-KATONAH • BRONXVILLE-EASTCHESTER-TUCKAHOE •CHAPPAQUA-MOUNT KISCO • HARRISON • LARCHMONT-MAMARONECK• NANUET • NEW CITY • NEW ROCHELLE • NYACK-PIERMONT • OSSINING-CROTON • PEARL RIVER • PEEKSKILL-CORTLANDT • PELHAM • PORT CHESTER • PLEASANTVILLE-BRIARCLIFF • RIVERTOWNS • RYE •SCARSDALE • SOUTHEAST-BREWSTER • TARRYTOWN-SLEEPY HOLLOW •WHITE PLAINS • YORKTOWN-SOMERS