OC Firefighter Dies Battling Fire In Laguna Niguel

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — An Orange County Fire Authority veteran firefighter suffered a cardiac arrest and died Sunday morning while fighting a residential structure fire in south Orange County, authorities said.

"It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) announces the passing of Fire Apparatus Engineer Kevin Skinner," the Orange County Fire Authority said Sunday.

According to firefighters, Skinner was among those dispatched to a residential blaze in Laguna Niguel at around 4:56 a.m. Sunday in the 2900 block of Point Royale.

While actively engaged on the scene, Skinner experienced a sudden medical emergency. Fellow firefighters performed life-saving measures, and Skinner was moved to a nearby hospital, where he died.

"Kevin Skinner was a dedicated member of the OCFA family, serving with distinction and unwavering commitment to the community. His loss is deeply felt by his colleagues and the countless lives he touched during his career," the department said.

At a news conference later Sunday morning at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, where Skinner was taken by ambulance and pronounced dead, OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy said Skinner and his crew were assigned to search the home for residents, but he informed his captain that he wasn't feeling well. He was escorted outside to a paramedic unit where he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

Fennessy said Skinner joined the OCFA on July 3, 1999, and prior to that had served in the U.S. Navy for four years.

"Kevin was well-liked throughout our agency and had a gift for making everyone around him feel welcome. His presence will be missed," the chief added.

Skinner is survived by a wife and three children.