A rural De Soto man suffered burns trying to extinguish a fire in an outbuilding on his property Dec. 15.

According to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office in Viroqua, Harlan Henry, 53, was burning rubbish in a wood burner in a small shed on his property in Genoa township.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., a caller to the Sheriff’s Office reported hearing an explosion prior to fire breaking out.

Henry suffered burns while trying to put out the fire. He was transported to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.

Three buildings on his property were damaged in the blaze.

Assisting at the scene were the Genoa-Harmony, De Soto and Stoddard-Bergen fire departments.

The fire remains under investigation by the Genoa-Harmony Fire Department.