Cynthia Hess Obituary, Death; – A 58-year-old woman from Warren County has tragically lost her life after being engulfed in flames during an accident at her backyard burn pit, as reported by the sheriff’s office and the Deerfield Township Fire Department.
Emergency responders discovered Cynthia Hess with severe burns covering 90% of her body when they arrived at the scene of a reported explosion near her burn pit on Greenfield Drive shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday.
She was transported to West Chester Hospital by ambulance and subsequently airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Unfortunately, Hess succumbed to her injuries early Tuesday, as confirmed by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Deerfield Township Fire Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Preliminary assessments suggest that this was a tragic accident that occurred while Hess was burning wood in the pit, according to Deerfield Township Fire Captain Patrick Strausbaugh.
“There is no indication of any criminal activity or involvement of another individual that could have caused harm,” he stated, noting that Hess was alone at the time of the incident. Investigators do not currently believe that a true explosion took place, he added. The fire pit was situated approximately 60 feet from the residence, and no property damage was reported.
“It was not as if there was a debris field or anything similar,” the fire captain remarked, suggesting that the fire may have simply flared up unexpectedly.
A neighbor reported to the sheriff’s office that he heard what he described as an “explosion” while driving nearby and observed a plume of black smoke. Upon reaching her home, he saw a significant fire, jumped the fence, and found Hess “actively burning.” He immediately attempted to extinguish the flames on her, suffering burns to his hands in the process, and called 911 for assistance, according to the report. The fire captain confirmed that the neighbor also sustained injuries.
