The father of one of the victims of last year's deadly explosion in the East Village is reacting to news that five people have been indicted for allegedly setting up the chain of events that led to the death of his son. NY1's Michael Scotto filed the following report.

It's impossible to forget about Nicholas Figueroa inside the East Harlem apartment where he grew up. His grieving parents have created a shrine to remember their son, who died last year when a gas leak leveled the East Village restaurant he was eating in.

"We are hoping later on that when this is all finished, that other people who attempt to do stupid things like this think twice," said Nicholas Figueroa Sr., the father of the East Village explosion victim.

Figueroa was one of two people to die when three buildings burst into flames and later collapsed. The 23-year-old, a former Eagle Scout, remembered as handsome and outgoing, was on a date at a Japanese restaurant when it happened.

"It was just the wrong time, wrong place," Figueroa Sr. said. "When that happened, my world went downhill."

Now, each week, Figueroa's family comes to the site of the explosion, where a makeshift memorial has been created to honor Figueroa and Moises Locon Yac, a busboy at the restaurant.

Those who live just feet from that explosion site said they hope the five people who were indicted Thursday know just how much heartache they've caused.

"Feel what we went through. Feel what the families of the dead and those who lost parts of their families and interruptions in their lives. Feel their pain, and then there will be justice," said Stuart Lipsky, an East Village resident.

Since the explosion, the city and Con Edison have begun working more closely together to prevent future explosions.

The Department of Buildings says new rules aimed at detecting illegal gas hookups resulted in a 400 percent increase in gas plumbing inspections last year. In 2015, the Buildings Department conducted 343 inspections, up from 67 in 2014.

The agency says it's also planning to hire 100 additional inspectors.