Residents of Philadelphia apartment in disbelief after woman dies of heat-related illness: "I am sick about it"
Residents of the Park Terrace Apartments in Philadelphia's Holmesburg neighborhood said they're in disbelief after learning their neighbor's death was heat-related.
The medical examiner's office identified the woman as Mona Toole.
The Philadelphia Fire Department said they found Toole unresponsive Wednesday afternoon.
Residents say they have been living without air-conditioning, and the recent heat wave created unbearable conditions inside.
"I am sick about it," Mary Laughlin, a resident at the apartments, said. "If the air was on, Mona would still be alive."
"I can take heat, but that was just beyond — I couldn't even breathe up there," said Lorrie Reilly, who also lives in the complex.
One apartment clocked at 98 degrees, and residents said they feared something bad would happen.
"We suspected it," Reilly said. "We were hoping it wasn't the case. You don't want to lose anybody anyway, but especially not this when it could have been avoided."
At last check, the air has not been fixed. Residents said it's cool now, but they are worried when it heats back up again.
"Summer's just around the corner and what are we going to do then if it's not on?" Reilly said.
Residents said they are worried about each other and said since Toole's death, it hasn't been the same.
"As I was walking through the halls tonight. just getting home from work, it's very somber," Reilly said.
Residents said their hearts go out to Toole's family.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to the apartments management company based in Lakewood for comment on both the extreme heat and Toole's death, but we have not heard back.