Four heat-related deaths reported in Portland area

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office has reported four suspected heat-related deaths from the current heat wave. Three of the deaths were Multnomah County residents. The fourth was a 33-year-old man who was transported from outside Multnomah County to a Portland hospital, where he died on July 6.

The first suspected heat-related death in the county was a man who died Friday, July 5. Two more men died on Sunday, July 7.

The first death was an 84-year-old man who died in the 97230 zip code, which covers outer northeast Portland and part of Gresham.

One of the men who died Sunday was a 64-year-old in the 97206 zip code, which includes parts of Brentwood-Darlington, Woodstock and South Tabor. The third death was a 75-year-old man in the Hazelwood, Montavilla or Mill Park neighborhood, in the 97216 zip code, on Sunday, July 7.

Temperatures have climbed since July 4. On Friday and Saturday, local temperatures reached nearly 99 degrees. The temperature passed the 100-degree mark on Sunday.

"We really want to try and encourage people to check in on your neighbors and your friends and your family members, people who may be at risk of having a heat-related illness," Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno said. "Check in on them, make sure they have a heat plan, make sure they got their AC going if they don't already, make sure that they're turning their fans on and getting some cool air circulating."

The medical examiner's office publicly reported the deaths on the morning of Monday, July 8, but did not provide additional information.

Officials did not say if the men were housed or not. In the June 2021 heat dome, which killed 69 Multnomah County residents, most of the deceased were in their homes but lacked air conditioning.

Temperatures are still expected to rise, with a high of 102 on Monday and a high of 104 on Tuesday, before dropping down to the low 90s on Wednesday.

Nightly temperatures have dropped into the 60s, but temperatures don't stay low for long, offering only limited relief from the heat.

The county has opened just three cooling centers, which will be open noon to 10 p.m. on Monday and reopen Tuesday at noon. The shelters are at Cook Plaza, 19421 S.E. Stark St., Gresham; Portland Covenant Church, 4046 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland; and Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 N.W. Flanders St., Portland.

Between the three locations, 158 people used the cooling centers on Sunday, Multnomah County reported.

Cook Plaza, 19421 S.E. Stark St., Gresham Portland Covenant Church, 4046 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland

Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 N.W. Flanders St., Portland