According to WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Thane Lucas had signed up to be a junior firefighter with the Mahaffey Volunteer Fire Department a year ago.
Punxsutawney-based State Police said Lucas was putting a bag of garbage in the burn barrel when an unknown item in one of the bags exploded in the fire and caused garbage to fly out of the barrel and hit Lucas in the neck.
He was flown to UPMC Altoona, but later died.