Another fire-related tragedy is being blamed on the dry conditions and outdoor burning that got out of hand. A northwest Iowa man’s died following a grass fire near Linn Grove. Buena Vista sheriff Chuck Eddy says the body of 77-year-old Ellis Francis of Storm Lake was found by firefighters Tuesday afternoon. The crews from Sioux Rapids and Peterson were called to a fire a couple miles southwest of Linn Grove around midafternoon Tuesday. There, they found a big grass fire and a storage shed in flames, too. When they put out the fire they found the man’s body in a burned area. Authorities are investigating and an autopsy’s being done.
