Wind shift blows fire onto horse farm worker

Capt. Mark Holton of Volunteer Fire Services Inc. sprays the gully being burned when a wind shift blew flames on Ray Campbell at mid-afternoon Tuesday. (T-G Photo by David Melson) [Click to enlarge]

A longtime Shelbyville horse industry worker was seriously burned Tuesday afternoon when his clothing caught fire while burning brush.

Ray Campbell, said to be in his 40s, was working at Samuel Acres, Highway 64 West.

"The wind shifted and burned the fire toward Ray," horse trainer Dude Crowder, who extinguished the flames, said.

"It happened so fast...just like that," Crowder said, snapping his fingers to indicate the time frame.

Crowder said he ran to Campbell and turned him over, using his own shirt to smother the flames.

"It's hard to turn someone when they're still running," Crowder said. "I've never seen a fire spread that fast."

Campbell had spread diesel fuel over the area to be burned and was tending the fire when the wind shifted direction, Crowder and Volunteer Fire Services Inc. personnel said.

Firefighters and Crowder said Campbell suffered what appeared to be second and third degree burns over one side of his body.

Campbell was taken from the fire site by ambulance to Bedford County Medical Center, then to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville by LifeFlight helicopter.

The fire itself covered a relatively small area, largely restricted to a gully, and was quickly extinguished by VFSI. The ground was singed where Campbell's flaming shirt and pants had been removed.