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Authorities say Iowa worker died at Nebraska burn center

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November 11th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man burned in a fire at a northwest Iowa hog confinement has died. Le Mars Fire-Rescue says 38-year-old Jorge Orozco died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Burn Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. He’d been flown there after being taken in a private vehicle on Sept. 30 to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars. Officials say Orozco lived in Sioux City.

The hog operation sits about 5 miles (8 kilometers) northwest of Le Mars. Officials say Orozco and another man had been inside a building, using a power washer to clean it. Orozco left the building to refuel the power washer engine, and he spilled gas on himself and the machine. The vapors ignited, burning Orozco.