Authorities are investigating the death of a longshoreman who collapsed in extreme heat Wednesday shortly after returning from lunch break.
The unidentified man, said to be in his 50s, was cleaning containers at the Yang Ming Terminal in San Pedro early Wednesday when he became nauseous. He then collapsed upon returning to work at 1 p.m., said Mark Jurisic of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 13.
"He took about 12 steps inside the gate after lunch and just collapsed," Jurisic said. "We're still trying to determine what happened."
The death comes less than two weeks after another longshoreman, John Kiser, was fatally struck by a yard tractor while helping offload containers at the neighboring Evergreen terminal. The Sept. 12 has been ruled accidental.
The latest incident occurred on a day when temperatures rose into the upper 90s in San Pedro. The victim had reportedly been washing containers at the terminal for a few hours when he vomited and asked to take a break.
It's unclear if he was suffering from any underlying health problems, and the Los Angeles County Coroner's office is conducting an autopsy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also reviewing the death.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
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Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
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