Two People May Have Died From Heat in Multnomah County Last Week

In what’s becoming a tragic rite of Portland metro summers, two people died from what the medical examiner suspects was heat exposure late last week in Multnomah County.

The first victim, a 59-year-old man, died in the 97233 ZIP code, which includes Rockwood and Mill Park, on or before Aug. 14, according to the county medical examiner. The second, a 57-year-old woman, was found dead a day later in 97214, home to the Inner Eastside industrial area and the Hawthorne District.

Once very rare in the Northwest, deaths from heat stroke and related illnesses have been rising along with summer temperatures . The June through August period of 2024 was the hottest on record in North America, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June 2025 was the third hottest June.

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