Man dies of burn injuries

PALMER — A 63-year-old man who sustained injuries as he burned trash and was sent to Seattle for treatment, has succumbed to his injuries, the state Fire Marshal’s Office said it learned Tuesday.

A press release discussing the death doesn’t provide the man’s name or say where in the Valley he was burning trash, but does list an age and says that he was burned on Oct. 3, and that a family member took him to the hospital rather than calling 911.

“Alaska State Fire Marshal Kelly Nicolello emphasizes how important it is to call 911 for all fire or explosion emergencies. The sooner emergency services are notified of an emergency there is a greater chance of a favorable outcome,” the fire marshal’s office says in a press release.

Alaska State Troopers and Central Mat-Su Fire Department are investigating the incident. The man was the state’s 19th fire fatality of 2012, according to the Department of Public Safety. From 2007 to 2011, 89 people died in fires in Alaska.

Mahlon Greene, outreach coordinator for the Division of Fire and Life Safety, included in the press release a list of rules people burning trash should follow:

• Check local regulations before burning.

• Make sure burn barrels and burn piles don’t contain dangerous items.

• It’s illegal to burn plastics or other trash that emit toxic smoke.

• Don’t use flammable liquids to start a trash fire.

• Don’t burn aerosol cans.

• Have water or a fire extinguisher on hand.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.