LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Heat exposure contributed to the deaths of at least three people presumed to be homeless in Los Angeles County during the recent heat wave, the coroner's office confirmed today.
All three people died Sept. 6. Other cases remain under investigation, coroner's spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani told City News Service.
Holland Harmon, 60, was homeless and found on a sidewalk in the 600 block of San Pedro Street downtown at 3:25 p.m. that day. He died of cardiovascular disease with other significant conditions, including heat exposure, according to the coroner's office.
A woman, named as a Jane Doe and believed to be homeless, died of hyperthermia in the 900 block of Meridian Avenue in South Pasadena, according to the coroner. She was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m.
Another man, in his 70s and also believed to be homeless, died of hypertension and heart disease in the heat in the 6900 block of Denver Avenue in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood. His identity was not released pending notification of his next of kin. His death was recorded at 7:20 p.m.
The weekend heat wave set record temperatures and left thousands of residents without power as utilities struggled to meet energy demands. Temperatures reached 121 degrees at Woodland Hills Pierce College and 114 degrees at Burbank Airport. Downtown temperatures fell short of a record, but reached 111 degrees.
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