Officials are investigating after two Houston firefighters have suffered heart attacks in the last week.
FOX 26 reported that on Thursday, a 46-year-old Houston firefighter collapsed at the fire station and went into cardiac arrest.
Fellow firefighters were able to bring back his pulse.
Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, told FOX 26 that the 46-year-old is now in stable condition at a local hospital intensive care unit.
Last week, 24-year-old HFD firefighter Malcom Willis died suddenly at his home following a heart attack.
Willis served with HFD for 19 months. An autopsy report for the 24-year-old hasn’t been released.
“You can’t not look at heat as a factor,” said Lancton. “When you’re dealing with record temperatures, and the firefighters having to wear the gear, the best way to put it is it compounds itself.”
Throughout the last few weeks, the Houston area has experienced extreme heat.
This follows the hottest June on record for the city.
In an interview Thursday, FOX 26 asked Houston firefighter and Public Information Officer Martee Black if the heat could have been a factor in the two recent firefighter heart attacks.
“Those are both under investigation,” said Black. “To avoid speculation, and to respect the families, we prefer not to speak on that until we confirm that information.”