80-Year-Old Woman Dies After Scooter Catches Fire Outside Ely Care Center

An 80-year-old woman died Monday after the motorized scooter she was on caught on fire outside a care center in Ely.

Ely police officials say the woman was fully engulfed in fire before staff members from Boundary Waters Care Center were able to get her off the scooter. She suffered severe burns and was first transported to an Ely hospital before being airlifted to Duluth, where she died.

One staff member suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released from the Ely hospital.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal.