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Family, Friends Mourn Nicholas Figueroa, Man Killed In East Village Explosion, Fire

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Family and friends mourned a life suddenly cut short on Monday.

Nicholas Figueroa, 23, was on a lunch date when he was killed in an explosion and fire on Second Avenue in March. The blast claimed two lives.

Visitation was held for Figueroa Monday night at the Ortiz Funeral Home in Washington Heights.

"Seeing him laid out now, thank God he's in one piece. The father and the mom are really having a very hard time dealing with this," family spokesperson Awilda Cordero told 1010 WINS reporter Holli Haerr.

Family, Friends Mourn Nicholas Figueroa, Man Killed In East Village Explosion, Fire

Along with the grief there is also concern that the blast was possibly caused by someone illegally tapping a gas line, and that something like this could happen again, Cordero said.

"And this is a young man that was looking at a bright future, with a degree," Cordero added.

Family, Friends Mourn Nicholas Figueroa, Man Killed In East Village Explosion, Fire

Figueroa's uncle Marcelo said that he hopes justice will be done.

"He was a good kid. He was a good man. Turned out to be an extraordinary man. It is tragic what happened to him," he said.

Figueroa's funeral is planned for Tuesday morning.

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