Heatwave likely claimed life of Madera woman, officials say

A 48-year-old woman died in Madera from complications likely caused by the heatwave baking the central San Joaquin Valley, authorities said Thursday

Cmdr. Bill Ward of the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said that paramedics were called to a home on Watson Street on Tuesday because a woman was having seizures. “She was found to be unresponsive and was taken to Madera Community Hospital at about 3:20 p.m. where resuscitation efforts failed and she was pronounced deceased,” he said.

Ward said her temperature was above normal, “and her death is suspected to be heat-related, but final autopsy results are not yet available.”

A person was found dead under a roadway overpass in Fresno on Wednesday. Authorities said the person may have been a transient. The coroner is trying to determine cause of death.

Fresno broke the record for heat on Thursday when the thermometer reached 109 degrees shortly before 5 p.m.

That edged past the mark set in 1981, according to the National Weather Service.

It marked the sixth-straight day temperatures were above 100 degrees in Fresno, and the heat spell is going to continue into Monday.

Friday is forecast to be 108; Saturday will be 103, Sunday 105 and Monday 102.

Tuesday’s high should be 97, breaking the triple-digit string of temperatures to start summer.

The clear skies and light winds contribute to the hot conditions. The weather service has issued an excessive heat warning for the central San Joaquin Valley through 11 p.m. Friday. Children and the elderly are advised to not spend time outdoors in the hot weather because they are the most susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Heatwave likely claimed life of Madera woman, officials say."