A U.S. Postal Service carrier died Tuesday of a possible heat-related illness while working a Dallas route, the service confirmed in a statement.
USPS said the employee was delivering in the Lakewood area of Dallas. Kimetra Lewis, president of the Dallas branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers, identified the employee as 66-year-old Eugene Gates Jr.
“The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of life suffered yesterday,” USPS wrote in its statement. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time.”
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for Dallas-Fort Worth on Monday, which has since been extended through Wednesday evening because of “dangerously hot conditions,” with heat index values of 110 to 120 degrees expected.
