29 Oct Weslaco firefighters who died Wednesday identified as Johnny Peña, 43, and Julia Rocha, 21

Two members of the Weslaco Fire Department who died Wednesday in what officials have called an off-duty incident were identified Thursday as Johnny Peña, 43, and Julia Rocha, 21, according to the Weslaco Firefighters Association.

“We have lost two great people who answered the call for our great city,” the association said in a statement.

What led to the deaths has not been made public. Neither city nor police officials had released details as of Thursday evening, and the Weslaco Police Department and Weslaco Fire Department are investigating. In a statement Wednesday, the police department said the deaths occurred that morning. A police representative said no further information would be shared while the investigation is active, to respect the families.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Adrian Gonzalez said the loss came on National First Responders Day, when the city would ordinarily be thanking its emergency workers. He said two members of the fire department will not return to their families, asked for prayers and urged the public and the media to respect the families’ privacy. He did not say how the firefighters died.

Fire departments and other first responder agencies across the Rio Grande Valley sent condolences, and some covered calls in Weslaco while its firefighters grieved, according to MySA. Knapp Medical Center, where the two were taken, also issued a statement of sympathy.