Sixty-six year old Winfred Elizabeth Landers was killed Friday afternoon while fighting a pasture fire at 1980 Cosper Bend Road.
Mrs. Landers and her husband, Richard Landers, had been burning a small brush pile when wind blew the fire into a pasture. The Landers attempted to extinguish the fire using a pumper truck they had, however, the truck broke down. Mrs. Landers and a 7-year-old neighbor left Mr. Landers to get a second pumper truck. Before they could reach the second truck Mrs. Landers fell and was unable to get up.
The child went back to Mr. Landers and told him his wife had fallen, however, by the time Mr. Landers got to his wife, the fire had overtaken her and she was dead.
The fire and death, which occurred at 2:40 PM December 17, are currently under investigation by local authorities and the State Fire Marshals Office. Investigators are considering the possibility that Mrs. Lander's previously existing medical problems may have contributed to her falling and being unable to escape the fire.
Mrs. Landers is the third Childersburg resident to die in fires within two days.