An accident occurred in Gimje, where the daytime high temperature soared to 37 degrees on the 5th, in which a man in his 80s who fell from his electric wheelchair was left unattended under the scorching sun for approximately two hours and died of heatstroke.

According to police and fire authorities, a report was received between 2:30 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. on the same day stating that "a person has collapsed next to a wheelchair" on a road in Geomsan-dong, Gimje, North Jeolla Province. When the rescue team dispatched to the scene arrived, Mr. A (in his 80s) was already dead, and his body temperature was measured at over 42 degrees.

Upon checking the closed-circuit (CC) TV footage secured by the police, it was determined that Mr. A was returning home after going out around lunchtime when he crashed into a wall (or retaining wall) while turning his electric wheelchair and fell onto the road. Mr. A, who had difficulty moving, was unable to get back into the wheelchair on his own and lay under the hot sun for about two hours.

According to the hospital and police, the cause of Mr. A's death was confirmed to be 'cardiac arrest due to heatstroke.'

A police official stated, "It appears that Mr. A fell from his wheelchair in broad daylight, was not discovered, and was left unattended, leading to his death from a heat-related illness," adding, "We plan to convey the circumstances of the incident to the City of Gimje in accordance with the doctor's opinion." The police are further investigating the exact cause of death.