HALSTEAD — A Kansas man died hours after being burned in a grass fire on Thursday afternoon in Harvey County.

Halstead Fire Chief Jim Vanschaick said Fred Rodenberg, 81, was burning limbs and boards when the grass caught fire.

“It was a controlled burn at a rural location one mile north and one mile east of town. He tried to stomp out the flames and it caught his pants on fire,” he said

Rodenberg suffered severe burns to 50 percent of his body.  Halstead firefighters were able extinguish the fire.

EMS transported Rodenburg to St Francis Regional Medical Center where he died.