Heat Claims Another Life In Oklahoma

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma's fatal heat wave added to its toll Wednesday as people across the state looked for ways to cope during another triple-digit day.<br/><br/>32-year-old Benjamin Conaway

Wednesday, August 9th 2006, 2:19 pm

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma's fatal heat wave added to its toll Wednesday as people across the state looked for ways to cope during another triple-digit day.

32-year-old Benjamin Conaway became the latest victim of heat stroke. He died last night at an Oklahoma City hospital.

Kevin Rowland, chief investigator for the state Medical Examiner's Office says the Oklahoma City resident was walking in Ardmore Monday when he fell ill.

Oklahoma's record number of heat-related deaths now stands at 21 for the year, 19 since July 9th. Since the Medical Examiner started separating deaths by type in 1986, the highest had been 16 heat-related deaths in 2000.

Oklahoma's unofficial record for heat-related deaths is much higher. A blazing summer in 1980 left 40 dead.