Midlands woman dies in fire while burning trash, officials said

An elderly woman died after apparently routinely burning rubbish near a home in rural Sumter County.

Firefighters were called to the 4600 block of Wrangler Trail about 2:30 p.m. to fight a brush fire but discovered the deceased woman while fighting the fire, according to reports from Sumter County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Ken Bell.

Bell said it appears that Ethel Hall, 67, of Sumter, was burning rubbish behind her daughter's house when the fire began getting out of control. While trying to contain it, her clothing caught fire, causing her to panic and run through the forest. While running through the forest, she may have touched off a brush fire, Bell said.

Bell said investigators are calling it an accident, but the investigation is underway involving the sheriff's office, Sumter Fire Department and South Carolina Forestry Commission.

Family members at the scene were distraught, and a victims' advocate was called in to visit with family members, he said.

An autopsy will be performed on Hall's body in Newberry Wednesday, and investigators will know more about her cause of death at that time, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said.

Baker said that although she had burns on her body, she may have died from smoke inhalation or another cause.

This story was originally published March 8, 2017 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Midlands woman dies in fire while burning trash, officials said."