Leaf blower blamed in Stiles man’s death

A Stiles man died from injuries he suffered when an electric leaf blower caught fire Oct. 22, according to the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department. Russell Holman, 41, was badly burned while using the leaf blower while working in his yard on Wintergreen Road in Stiles, said Investigator Keith Johnson of the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department. A neighbor reported the fire at 2 p.m. An autopsy was performed, and the manner of death is awaiting toxicology results. The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation, Johnson said. The Oconto County Sheriff’s Department, Oconto Falls Area Ambulance Service and Lena Fire Department initially responded to the scene. The Oconto County assistant medical examiner and Department of Justice fire marshal also responded.