A long time Clay County physician and rancher has died.  82 year-old Dr. Leroy Schaffner died when his feed truck caught fire in a pasture near Byers on Monday afternoon.

KFDX TV 3 reports that Schaffner’s feed truck high centered on a terrace about 8 miles southwest of Byers.  The trucks catalytic converter sparked a grass fire beneath the vehicle which quickly grew out of control.  Dr. Schaffner was unable to escape the burning truck and died at the scene.

Volunteer firefighters from Byers, Petrolia, Henrietta and Dean battled the nearly 100 acre blaze.

More From 106.3 The Buzz