(TWC) – Several deaths are being blamed on the scorching, record-breaking heat wave blanketing much of Europe. The news agency Europa Press reported that at least two people have died in Spain from the heat, according to the Associated Press. Authorities in France are also linking at least four deaths to the heat, the AP reported. Also in France, a 6-year-old child suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit by high-pressure water shooting from a fire hydrant that was illegally opened.
France issued its first-ever “red” weather alert since a new warning system was put into place after scores of deaths in a similar heat wave in 2003. The red alert is the highest warning and was issued on Thursday for the Marseille and Montpellier areas in southeastern France, the Associated Press reported. Temperatures in those areas were forecast to reach as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit Friday. Some 4,000 schools across the country closed, outdoor events were canceled and volunteers were sent to check on the elderly. READ MORE
