Chickasha Officer Recovering From Severe Burns

A Chickasha Police officer is in Integris Baptist's Burn Center with second and third-degree burns after a tragic accident over the weekend.

Michael Chavers, 41, was lighting a burn pit behind a neighbor's home Saturday when a flash fire blew up in his face.

Chavers wasn't aware children had poured accelerants onto the brush in the burn pit. Chavers suffered burns to more than 20 percent of his body.

"It's nobody's fault, accidents happen," said Chavers. "And that's what it was."

Chavers has seen tragedy before, nearly 11 years ago, his wife and son were killed in an automobile accident just outside Fort Riley, Kansas, where Chavers was stationed in the Army.

Chavers says the driver of the pickup truck that hit his wife and son was high on drugs when it happened.

"September's not been a good month for us," Chavers said.

A "Michael Chavers Medical Fund has been established at five Chickasha Bank locations. They are located in Chickasha, Apache, Blanchard, Cement, and in Tuttle, Oklahoma.

Donations can be brought in, or mailed to those Chickasha Bank locations.