RICE, Minnesota — An 86-year-old man is dead after an apparent mishap suffered while burning pastureland near the town of Rice.
Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson says dispatchers received a call about a man who had been burned to death in a field on the 10600 block of River Street in rural Brockway Township.
When deputies arrived just after 3 p.m. they found the body of Edwin Opitz of Rice. Preliminary evidence indicates Optiz was burning grass pastureland when things got out of control and he was burned to death.
The victim's body was taken to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.
