An elderly Webster Parish man died Monday when his burn pile got out of control, the state fire marshal said Tuesday in a news release.
The death of the 80-year-old man is the fourth attributed to open burning this year in the state, Fire Marshal “Butch” Browning said.
“These are sad and stunning cases that should bring everyone pause,” said Browning. “Just because there is no burn ban in place in your area, that does not mean that conditions can’t change quicker than you can safely react.”
The most recent happened around 2 p.m. Monday in the 200 block of Wilton Road in Sarepta. Firefighters were called to a report of a large grass fire.
A 911 caller reported her neighbor’s burn pile was spreading to another property and the man could not be found. Firefighters later found his burned body on the next door property, along with evidence he had been trying to stop the spread of the fire, the fire marshal’s office said.
Sheriff Jason Parker identified the man as Jimmy Thompson.
Also Monday, the burned body of 89-year-old man was found near a pond on his property on Norris Road in New Iberia following a multi-day search. The man was reported missing Saturday following the discovery of a 10-acre grass fire on his property.
Thursday, the body of a 67-year-old female was found in a burn pile in the community of Topsy in Jefferson Parish. The fire chief found the body while helping a resident put out a brush fire. She lived next door to where the fire was located.
Then on Jan. 31, the body of a 78-year-old Anacoco man was found by a relative after he and his son battled a fire that spread from a burn pile.
“Don’t let the fact that you’re burning brush outside keep you from understanding smoke from that fire can and will overtake you if you’re not careful,” said Browning. “Conducting open burning is a dangerous practice, no matter how frequently you do it, and it requires multiple safety steps to be taken every single time.”
Those safety tips include:
• Ensuring weather conditions, including wind speed and direction, are safe for burning
• Establishing a burn pile at least 75 feet from any structures
• Creating a 5-foot wet control line around the area
• Avoiding the use of flammable liquids to ignite a burn pile
• Remaining vigilant over the fire with a water source nearby at all times
• Alert a loved one or neighbor of your activities or conduct them with help
• If the fire does get out of control, call 911.