Toll Rising from Heat Wave

PHILADELPHIA - August 4, 2006 (WPVI) -- Two more heat-related deaths were reported Friday morning. The Delaware Department of Public Health confirms two people died in Sussex County on Thursday.

That brings the regional total to eight deaths since Wednesday. Four of those deaths were reported in Philadelphia, one in Montgomery County and another in Berks County.

Margaret Mary Tarnowski

For most of her life, Margaret Tarnowski, 80, lived on the 1600 block of Benner with her husband.

Neighbors said the Tarnowskis did not believe in air conditioning. They thought they were nothing but junk. They instead relied on a fan upstairs, keeping some windows open upstairs, while keeping the ones downstairs closed for fear of burglars.

Wednesday her husband found her dead, the medical examiner says the cause was heart disease and heat stress.

Frank Dallas Lloyd

Frank Dallas Lloyd, 51, lived on the 1700 block of south 20th in South Philadelphia. Everyone on the block had air conditioning except him. His death also was due, in part to heat stress.

Eugene Brown

Eugene Brown, 83, was from the of the 1500 block of north Dover. He did have air conditioning and fans, but they were not turned on when his niece found him dead Wednesday.

Family and neighbors say Mr. Brown suffered from Alzheimer's and his niece tried repeatedly to get him to stay at her house so she could watch him around the clock.

His 84th birthday would have been next week.

John Williams

John Williams, 71, lived on the 1300 block of west 66th. Again the medical examiner says he died from heart disease and heat stress despite family members checking in on him.

Richard Lucas

Richard Lucas, 74, was found dead Wednesday inside his apartment in Reading. The windows were closed and small fan was running. Lucas died of heart disease, aggravated by the heat.

Montgomery County officials have not released the name of the victim there, saying only that he is a 69-year-old from the Conshohocken area.

The heat wave should begin to break on Friday, and for many, the end of the oppressive heat cannot come soon enough.

There are more power problems for some Camden residents. They have been in and out of the dark during the heat wave.

Action News returned to a powerless Crestbury Apartment complex overnight. They were without electricity Thursday night into Friday morning.

It is the second time they have had to deal with darkened rooms, and no air conditioning in a matter of days. Extreme heat knocked out power at the complex on South 8th Street earlier this week.

Residents say they have not been informed about why this keeps happening.

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