WEST FRANKFORT - A West Frankfort man was found dead in his backyard Thursday afternoon, according to officials with West Frankfort Fire Department.

Syrus G. Renn , 76, was discovered about 2:30 p.m. by his wife, who dialed 911 and told dispatchers her husband was burning leaves and she found him collapsed in the yard of their 1214 E. St. Louis St. residence. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy was conducted Friday night and Franklin County Coroner Marty P. Leffler said "an acute cardiac" event was being labeled as the cause of death, meaning Renn died of natural causes and then become engulfed in flames.

"He didn't die from the fire so he did not suffer from the burns," Leffler said. "He had second and third-degree burns all over the front of his body."

tara.fasol@thesouthern.com

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