Names of burn victims from Granite Falls bonfire released

Early on Sunday morning, five area young men were severely burned when a flammable liquid was poured on a bonfire near Granite Falls.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office updated the information with the victims’ names: Cole Busack, age 20, of Echo; Brody Bloch, age 18, of Wood Lake; Lane Louwagie, age 20, of Echo; Carter Timm, age 20, of Echo; Jacob Lymer age 18, of Wood Lake.

Busack, Bloch, and Louwagie were all flown via air ambulance to be treated for their injuries, while Timm and Lymer were treated locally. As of Tuesday afternoon, there is no information available as to the medical  status of the victims or their injuries  

There is speculation the young men burned in the bonfire may have been mourning the death of Parker Viane, age 20, of Cottonwood, who was killed in an ATV accident on Saturday afternoon in Lyon County.

The young adults who were burned in a bonfire accident near Granite Falls early Sunday morning may have been mourning the death of a former fellow high school classmate.

Lakeview Schools Superintendent Chris Fenske told the Marshall Independent Viaene’s death has had an impact on the Lakeview community. Viaene was a member of the Lakeview High School graduating class of 2020, and has family members who are students and staff with the school as well.

While the identities of the people hurt at the bonfire were not released Sunday, Fenske said the incident also involved past graduates.

(This article includes information from the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, JP Kola/KWLM, and the Marshall Independent)