Civilian worker dies during controlled fire at SC Army base

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (AP) - U.S. Army officials say a civilian worker has died during a controlled fire to burn vegetation on the South Carolina base.

The Army said in a statement that 45-year-old Nicole Hawkins was a wildlife biologist and worked at the base near Columbia since August 2007.

Authorities say Hawkins died Wednesday in an area of the base where officials were setting a fire to burn older vegetation and undergrowth and prevent the potential of a larger wildfire.

Army officials said they aren’t releasing any other details about Hawkins’ death because an investigation is continuing.