Heat Wave Contributed to 8 Deaths in Bay Area

Northern California’s blistering heat wave is suspected of contributing to eight deaths, including two elderly residents of a Bay Area nursing home without air conditioning, authorities said Friday.

San Mateo County was hardest hit, with five people succumbing to heatstroke during a siege of triple-digit temperatures that began abating Thursday.

In Burlingame, two residents of the SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Home died as temperatures rose above 100 degrees inside the facility late Wednesday afternoon, said Barbara Pletz, San Mateo County emergency medical services administrator.

Four other residents were treated in a hospital for heatstroke, she said. County and state regulators are investigating the deaths at the nursing home.

Coroner’s officials also conducted autopsies on three other apparent victims of the high temperatures.

Paula Friburg, 40, was discovered dead in the backyard of her South San Francisco home after sunning herself all day, said Robert Foucrault, San Mateo County’s chief deputy coroner. Betty Jane Pinto, 46, died in her apartment of what authorities suspect was heatstroke. And a 78-year-old man collapsed while gardening and later died. Foucrault said authorities could not rule out other causes of death, pending toxicology reports.

In Alameda County, an elderly man collapsed and died during a walk at the peak of the heat Wednesday. A 70-year-old woman died as she waited in her sweltering car for a tow truck in Hayward.

In Sacramento , authorities say heat may have played a role in the death of Jeremiah Woottona, 16, after he spent Thursday fixing a roof.