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James Davis was building a bonfire in the backyard at his in-laws' Mullica Township home while his wife, Nicole, and their 1-year-old daughter, Elliana, played inside with the rest of the family, NJ Advance Media reports.
All of a sudden, Nicole heard a loud BOOM, she said on a GoFundMe page, originally launched to help pay off medical bills. Then, her dad started yelling "James is on fire."
The family rushed to Davis' aide and frantically fought to put the fire out.
"It took what felt like hours, but if I had to guess, it was three to five minutes," Nicole wrote. James was airlifted to Temple Burn Center where doctors said 90 percent of his body had been burned.
He died four days later, surrounded by his loved ones, his obituary says.
Mullica Township Police Chief Brian Zeck told NJ.com that investigators believe a gas can James was using to start the fire exploded. He said the blaze has been officially ruled accidental, the outlet adds.
Nicole told the website her husband was preparing to begin training to join the Florida State Highway Patrol, which was scheduled to begin this month.
In addition to his wife and daughter, James is survived by his parents James and Jeanne, two brothers, Cameron and Dominick, and an extended family of loving relatives and in-laws, his obit says.
Click here to read James Davis' full obituary from Boakes Funeral Home.
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