Prairie man dies from burns following fire

Joe Acarregui, 56, of Prairie, died after being burned in a fire that began when he tried to use diesel fuel to help start up his wood stove.

Long-time Prairie resident Joe Acarregui, 56, died Monday from burns he received in a fire at his home on Saturday, Jan. 3.

Sheriff's deputies investigating the death believe Acarregui was attempting to use diesel fuel, or a diesel/gas mixture, to help start a fire in the wood stove in his Prairie home, when the combination of heat and volatile fumes exploded.

Acarregui suffered burns over 70 percent of his body in the explosion and subsequent fire. He went outside, rolled himself in the snow to put out the flames, and then drove himself to the home of Randy Davison, about a mile away, to get help.

Acarregui was transported by helicopter ambulance from there to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, and then flown to the Salt Lake City burn center, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later.

There are no fire protection services in the Prairie area and his home, which he shared with his wife, Henrietta, and where he had grown up, was destroyed in the fire.

His wife was not present at the time. She had been hospitalized previously in Boise, with an illness, when the incident occurred.

Sheriff's authorities noted that it is extremely dangerous to use flammable liquids to help start a fire, in either a wood stove or a fireplace. "Often, just having the fumes nearby, can trigger an explosion," said Det. Cathy Wolfe. "Don't add any flammable liquid to get a fire started."

Acarregui is survived by: his wife, Henrietta; his daughter, Julie Acarregui-Garrett and her husband, Mike; his son, Steven Acarregui and his wife, Erin; four grandsons and one granddaughter, all of Mountain Home.