MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa Fire Department is mourning the loss of one their own.
Fire officials said retired Fire Captain Trevor Madrid died Sunday afternoon after a long battle with cancer.
In a September interview with 12 News, Madrid said he had been diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma, the fifth rarest cancer.
Madrid's friend and colleague Captain Steve Heyer said Madrid got cancer from exposure on the job.
"Occupational cancer is one of the leading risks of death in the fire service," Heyer said. "Departments are trying to do as much as they can to make it safer and to have procedures where you get clean as soon as you get to the station. Trevor used to take all those precautions but you can still get cancer because of the things we come in contact with."
The Mesa Fire Department will be working with Madrid’s family to facilitate their needs as they get closer to his memorial services, a spokesperson for the department said.