SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago firefighter died during an underwater dive training exercise, authorities said Thursday.
South Holland officials say Dylan Cunningham of Thornton was training at Haigh Quarry Lake in Kankakee when a medical emergency occurred late Wednesday, the nature of which authorities haven’t disclosed. He was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
“Dylan was a beloved member of our team,” South Holland fire Chief Brian Kolosh said in a statement. “He was dedicated, loyal, hard-working, and also a lot of fun to be around. We are devastated by this loss and are grieving with Dylan’s family.”
Cunningham, 29, who was also a paramedic, had been with the South Holland fire department in a part-time role since 2011 and was promoted to full-time in 2018. He also served in the Illinois Army National Guard. Village officials said Cunningham lived in Thornton with his fiancee and was expecting a child.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office did not determine a cause of death following a Thursday autopsy as the office awaited completion of further investigation.
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