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Police: Hunters' campfire causes boulder to split, fall and kill one

By Andrew V. Pestano

BOONE COUNTY, W.Va., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- A man died and another was injured after the heat from a campfire they made while hunting caused a boulder to split and fall on them, police in West Virginia said.

Donnie Barker III, 25, from Wharton, W. Va, and Steven Lee Setser, 19, also from Wharton, were out hunting when they decided to build a fire under a boulder Monday.

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"The heat from the fire is believed to have caused the boulder to break apart and fall on Mr. Barker and Mr. Setser," West Virginia State Police said in a statement.

Barker died and although Setser was injured, he was able to leave and seek help at the house of a relative who called 911.

The incident occurred in a forested area known as Barrett Wharton in Boone County. The fallen boulder was described as being about half the size of a firetruck.

Senior West Virginia Trooper G. S. Walter and a Natural Resources police officer responded to the scene. Setser was taken to the Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital to receive treatment for non-life threatening injuries. Barker's body was taken to the Handley Funeral Home in Danville.

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"Donnie you will never be forgotten my friend; this sends chills down my spine to even think something this awful happened to you! Spread them wings and fly high," a Facebook user identified as Sammi Sheets wrote on the West Virginia State Police Facebook page announcing the incident.

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