DUST TO DUST: Son’s Sad Goodbye To Streetcleaner Dad Who Died In Heatwave
A street cleaner’s son whose dad died after fainting on the job in the heat wave has posted a touching farewell to his father on Twitter.
The city worker had collapsed as temperatures soared to 38,9 Centigrade weather in the Spanish capital in Madrid.
Emergency service medics tried to revive him with ice packs to his armpits, thighs and neck.
His body temperature was 41.6 degrees before he was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
He died the next day on Saturday (July 16) it has now been revealed.
In a touching Twitter tribute, his son – identified only as @27maguel – said: “The best father I have ever had is gone.”
He added: “I will always carry the example of my father with me, a great person and a hard worker until death.”
The post was accompanied by a photo of the pair from the young man’s childhood and received floods of sympathy as well as comments on unjust working conditions.
One – identified as @lachicadelchato – said: “Yesterday when I heard the news it shocked me, I have always thought that they were not well paid and that their conditions were precarious but reaching this extreme seems outrageous to me. My deepest condolences.”
The death was condemned by Manuel Mendez, the manager of street cleaning at The Workers Commisions (CCOO), the largest union in Spain.
He said: “This accident could have been avoided if a protocol existed.”
The heatwave in Spain this year has killed 360 people so far with 123 deaths recorded on Friday alone when the street cleaner collapsed.
A day later (July 17) a 58-year-old worker died in the hospital after fainting hours before when he was working as a mechanic in the Aurgi workshop on Moraleja street in Enmedio de Móstoles.
The employee had a body temperature of 42.9 degrees and fainted while in the outside vehicle repair area.
His work companions called 112 indicating that he did not respond when they spoke to him.
The man, born in Romania and a naturalized Spanish citizen, became unconscious and began to convulse before later passing away.