Victoria, TX : A 78-year-old Victoria man died on Tuesday, December, 12th 2017

A 78-year-old Victoria man died at his home Tuesday afternoon of a cardiac arrest or heart attack after his clothes caught on fire, a county official said.

Firefighters and deputies responded about 1:35 p.m. to the 8800 block of Lower Mission Valley Road to a reported barn fire, said Bryan Simons, spokesman for the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Howard Allen Gathright was burning off vegetation on the ground when his clothes accidentally caught fire, said Victoria County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 John Miller.

Miller said Gathright was trying to make it back to the barn to extinguish the fire that was burning him but then suffered either a cardiac arrest or a heart attack and died.

Gathright died about 20 yards from the barn, he said.

Miller said no autopsy was requested because it was confirmed with the family that the incident started as an accidental fire.

Simons said the sheriff’s office was continuing its investigation.

Source :
Victoria man dies after accidental fire