Denver Fire Chief Larry Trujillo will leave his post this week after he was granted early retirement by the state's fire and police pension board, the city announced this afternoon.

The chief's last day will be Saturday. Deputy Chief James A. Sestrich will become interim chief until Mayor John Hickenlooper appoints a permanent replacement.

The Fire and Police Pension Association met Tuesday to review Trujillo's case and granted him the occupational disability.

For the last seven years Trujillo,47, has suffered from severe back ailments after he was injured on the job. In June, Trujillo, a 25-year veteran of the department, applied for a disability pension at the advice of his doctor, and three independent physicians agreed that he should be given permanent occupational disability.

"On behalf of the City of Denver, I want to thank Chief Trujillo for his service and dedication to the Denver Fire Department.," the mayor said in a statement. "Not only did he provide outstanding leadership to the department, but he also spent countless hours of his personal time representing Denver Fire in the community, taking public engagement to a new level. Chief Trujillo will be greatly missed and we wish him the best."