Brutal Heat Wave Persists as Deaths Reach Two Dozen
- Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:31am by
Christopher Santarelli
- Print »
- Email »
A heat wave scorched the East Coast with another day of triple-digit temperatures on Saturday, forcing power authorities to throttle back the voltage to protect straining electrical grids as residents cranked up the air. The warm temperatures over the last week spreading from the Midwest to Northeast has been blamed for at least 24 deaths.
ABC News with a heat wave fact check:
Temperatures reached 105 degrees in Atlantic City, N.J.; 104 in Trenton, N.J.; 103 in Norfolk, Va.; 102 in Baltimore, Newark, N.J., and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and New York’s Kennedy Airport; and 101 in Philadelphia, but humidity made it feel hotter most places across the region.
In New York’s Times Square, tourists crowded into patches of shade along a baking Broadway, where Tony Eckinger, 34, was selling spray bottles with fans attached for $30. He had bought them at a drug store earlier in the day for $15.
“All the stores here are sold out,” Eckinger said. “Everybody’s trying to keep cool.”
Nearby, Gordon Miller, 58, waited in the sun as his family bought theater tickets at a discount booth.
“I told them I don’t care what we see,” said Miller, of Peebles, Scotland. “Getting inside and getting cool, that’s the idea.”
The heat will begin to ease Sunday, but will remain in the 90s, National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Pollina said.
“Monday is really when we see cooler air coming,” he said, with forecast temperatures sinking to the lower to middle 80s.
The bubble of hot air developed over the Midwest earlier this week and has caused more than a dozen deaths as it moved eastward. As of Saturday, the medical examiner’s office in Chicago listed heat stress or heat stroke as the cause of death for eight people. The latest death, involved a 59-year-old man.
In south-central Pennsylvania, authorities said a 63-year-old man in York died Friday of hyperthermia, or overheating, in an unventilated apartment where the temperature had reached 110 degrees. A 94-year-old man in Carroll Township also died after his air conditioner stopped working because of a tripped circuit breaker.
On Saturday morning, commuter trains were packed as thousands of New Yorkers headed to beaches on Long Island or New Jersey. Four city beaches were under a pollution warning after a fire earlier in the week at a wastewater plant forced officials to dump millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Hudson River.
About 10,000 customers remained without power in New York City and its suburbs, and about 9,000 in New Jersey, after parts of the region’s electrical network failed. Power utility Con Edison said it was reducing the voltage in 69 other New York neighborhoods to ease the load caused by thousands of air conditioners.
City officials said water usage had soared as New Yorkers tried to keep cool. On Saturday, it hovered around 1.5 billion gallons a day, about 50 percent higher than normal, said Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway.
In Manhattan, taxi driver Egor Targon said his business was booming because people didn’t want to walk in the heat. Still, he took Friday off, when temperatures crept up to 104, and went to the beach in New Jersey.
“If my head is dripping, I’d rather it be with ocean water than with sweat,” he said.
In Manassas, Va., 11 people who attended a Civil War re-enactment to mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Bull Run were taken to hospitals for heat-related illnesses, but none of them were believed to be critically sickened, said Joseph Robertson, battalion chief for the Prince William County fire and rescue service.
Pittsburgh’s Monongahela Incline, a popular tourist attraction, was knocked out by heat-related problems but resumed service by mid-afternoon Saturday, according to the Port Authority of Allegheny County. The incline’s 635-foot track lifts riders 370 feet to the Mount Washington neighborhood overlooking downtown.
In New Jersey, which has seen some of the highest temperatures, Margaret Sanger of Berkeley Township said she was nearing wit’s end after days holed up in their house.
“I love my four kids dearly and they love me, but if we all have to stay together in the house for too long, one or more us won’t make it out alive,” Sanger said. Her family planned to take in the new “Harry Potter” movie in the early afternoon, then go to a restaurant for dinner.
On Saturday she picked up some milk and eggs at a supermarket.
“I haven‘t had the oven on for a few days since it’s been so hot, and we’ve basically been living on fruit and sandwiches. We need a little more sustenance,” Sanger said.
In Philadelphia, city pools were limiting swimmers to 45 minutes each to keep up with demand.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Comments (33)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 694 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 501 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 353 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 335 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 325 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 325 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 335 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 247 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 148 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 325 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
yiska8
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 10:32pm102 degrees? 104? Wow. I know people who were raised without air conditioner here in San Antonio,TX. They’re still here. They know sweating is a good thing and know how to stay cool. These people across the country are flopping and fainting over 96 degree heat and humidity lasting a few days? Try wildfires, drought, and heat that hasn’t even gotten warmed up yet. Hey Yankees,its not hot until all the Texans start fainting! 105 degrees is a kind day in July or August. 96 degrees would be even nicer.Thank God we have our own power grid here in Texas.
Report Post »Bernard
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 4:45pmSince there is no article of the suffering of animals, I will comment about it and by doing so bring to the attention of the plight of millions of both wildlife and domestic pets who suffer and die without one article ever mentioning them.
Report Post »jkendal
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 2:18pmYou say it’s HOT??? Well, welcome to a TYPICAL Texas summer! We deal with temps like this EVERY YEAR. You say we’re used to it? Not on your life! That’s why we have AIR CONDITIONING and we go SWIMMING as often as possible.
And I wouldn’t move for all the money in the world!
Report Post »muzikant
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 1:57amBy the way, in washington state, Oregon its a little on the cool side. Global warming , huh?
Report Post »muzikant
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 1:55amI live in Charlotte, NC and I work outside everyday from 12 to 9. No big deal about the heat. We are used to it here. I actually like that I can lose weight without even trying.
Report Post »RychF
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:21pmAfter further review, even the Blaze fell trap to the over hyped reporting. I know it’s hot, IT”S SUMMER!!! Was even one record actually broken or do we believe the headlines?? Newsbusters claims there was only one or two records broken.
Report Post »Christian Kalgaard
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:18pm“ONLY one or two records broken” excuse me, when is that “ONLY” ??!
Report Post »jzs
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:46pmWhere are the Al Gore jokes now?
Report Post »sbeejustsaying
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:09pmEver heard of HAARP?
Report Post »jkendal
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 2:19pmNone needed – the man IS a joke!
Report Post »holy ghostbuster
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:28amThis must be a conspiracy between Obama and the energy lobby. Obama has borrowed George Bush’s weather machine and is altering the weather so that we all have to pay more money to the power companies to run our air conditioners.
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:47amI never claimed to be a biblical expert. I just read my Bible thats all. I have no idea why God does some of the things that he does. He’s God and so some things are just beyond our understanding.
Report Post »If you haven’t read the Bible, don’t criticize.
holy ghostbuster
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 7:09amI know for a fact that if I keep praying for cool weather, that by September or October my prayers will be answered! Keep praying folks and god will deliver. Praise the lord!!!
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 7:18am@holyghostbuster
Report Post »As to your comment to Gypsy 123
Read the book of Revelation. Don’t get on here trolling until you know the facts. It only makes you look ignorant, which you obviously are. I’ll pray for YOU, because a name like Holy Ghost buster is blasphemy.
holy ghostbuster
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:20amHey Molly, I could barely make it through the first book. The parts about light being created before the sun and the talking snake made me laugh and slightly skeptical. Maybe you could straighten me out on something, since you seem to be a bible expert: If god banished the snake to crawl on his belly (punishment for deceiving Eve) does that mean that the taking snake was walking around upright prior to his unfortunately encounter with humans? Maybe I’m just thinking too much?
Report Post »semihardrock
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:13pmlike INFORMED people dont know that Government can’t control weather patterns if need be to persuade public opinion to DEMAND…”Please Government…SAVE US from that terrible GLOBAL WARMING!”
This Government CONTROLS many things and I am not just talking about MSNBC! There is a REASON we have been named number #1 “Leaders of the FREE WORLD” although with this President we have our doubts that it will STILL be a Free World by the time he is OUT of office!
NICE TRY THOUGH!
Its very easy to start a rain storm if the right chemicals are sprayed into the atmosphere…just ask any scientist! THERE ARE MANY SECRETS THIS GOVERNMENT WOULD NEVER REVEAL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC! Controlling weather patterns is ONE of those secrets!
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:09amWe had an almost unheard of temp of 100 here in western Maine a couple of days ago. No air conditioning because generally we just don’t need it. We might get a few days above 90 each summer, but I’ve never thought it was worth spending the extra on the electricity. Good days to spend at the lake!
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:35amSign of the times. Destroyed by fire. Unlike the flood. This is not global warming this is a global warning.
Report Post »holy ghostbuster
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 7:06amYou have got to be kidding? Right? I’ll pray for you.
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 10:25am@HOLY global warming huh ? Where were you just this winter when the east had record cold and snow fall, snow fell in 49 states ( boy I would love to say 58 states like your messiah) .. Quite on that one as a liberal would always be.. Record heat ? They scream GLOBAL WARMING , record cold and snow fall ? They’re quiet as a church mouse. Hypocrites..
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:25amunder my plan electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket- barrack obama
i guess under his plan he wants all the old people and the poor people to just die of heat
Report Post »LibertyOrDeath
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:08amhttp://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/91863.html
The Enviro-Killers
“For decades, the Greens have successfully opposed the building of new electrical power plants. In my own town, they blocked a sealed, tertiary plant with no emissions whatsoever, which would only come online in a real emergency. Now that there are blackouts in Detroit in this horrific heat, soon to be coming to other cities, the most vulnerable people are dying. There will be many dead, and they are victims of the environmentalists. They have made a flawed system, government-regulated monopolies, even worse.”
Report Post »MOLLYPITCHER
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:11am@psychosis
Report Post »Thats been his plan all along. I don‘t think he’s naive at all. I think he just hates America.
holy ghostbuster
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:22amHey Molly, does god have a plan for everyone individually?
Report Post »5thregNHSM
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:13amOMG!!! It’s GLOBAL WARMING CLIMATE CHANGE THINGAHMAHJIG!
turn on your fan, your a/c, have a bottle of water. for the love of Pete… it’s summer.
been around for awhile now. I live in NH, got heat, a/c, fan… all the rightwing NRA Bible thumping
survival tools the commie progs wanna outlaw.
SHADE!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:19amThat was my thought. They want consistent triple digit weather during the summer, come to Texas. No, wait, I don’t want all the liberals from NY in Texas…..but we aren’t even in the “dog days of August” yet. They can’t handle a couple days of this?
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:10amI’m staying COOL in FLORIDA…..EATYOUR HEART OUT…HEE HEE HEEE
Report Post »Rice Water
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:18amIt’s been beautiful in San Diego…I may actually go for a run in the morning!
Now, should I start start posting smug comments about global warming, the way everyone else does whenever the temperature is slightly below average?
Report Post »SFsuper49er
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:05amI have not been out of the house all week, I haven’t even been out to get the mail so other than looking at the temp on TV I would not have known it was hot. I will not go back out until monday when it’s back to 85
Report Post »ICANHANDLETHETRUTH
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:01amIts the humidity, we live outside of Pheonix and it was 108 today, I think our hottest so far has been 118, all I can say is start drinking water as soon as you get up and limit outdoor activity, in AZ we start work very early and get off at 1 PM….. I wonder if they have any Water % Ice stores up there ? LOL Stay cool
Report Post »DragoonChris
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:47amDrink water, lot’s of it; and have a ‘lil something salty to go along with it (I prefer Salami).
Report Post »101
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:41amWhy these people that live back east don’t believe in a/c is beyond me!
Report Post »DragoonChris
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:45amAC is expensive to run, that’s why.
Report Post »