NE Iowa Man Seriously Hurt in Grass Fire

An Independence man has been seriously injured in a grass fire accident.

According to the Buchanan County Sheriff, 78 year old Norman McMurrin was in the process of burning a small grassy area on his property northwest of Independence, when the fire began to quickly spread at around 12:30pm Monday afternoon.

McMurrin was overcome by the blaze, but was pulled from the fire by a family member. He was initially taken to Covenant Hospital in Waterloo, then flown to University Hospitals in Iowa City, with life-threatening injuries.

The fire was extinguished by fire departments from Independence and Jesup.

The incident remains under investigation.