Tarrytown Village Administrator Michael Blau said today the two volunteer firefighters, one a DPW worker, who died after descending into a manhole, didn't follow proper procedure in the moments before their deaths.

Speaking at a press conference, Blau said DPW worker Anthony Ruggiero was with a supervisor before he descended into the manhole on Sheldon Avenue Monday. Ruggiero's supervisor hadn't instructed him to do so, and a nearby air-quality monitor in a firehouse wasn't used immediately before or after the descent.

When the supervisor saw Ruggiero had fallen unconscious while in the manhole, he called for fire department and medical services, at which point volunteer firefighter John Kelley also descended into the manhole without the required breathing equipment. Both Kelley and Ruggiero were pronounced dead shortly after.

The Tarrytown Police Department and Westchester District Attorney's office are investigating the incident.

For more information on wake and funeral services for both men, .