A three-year-old boy died inside his family's car during a severe heatwave in France, with temperatures climbing past 44C (111F) in some areas. The incident occurred Wednesday evening in Saint-Gratien, according to public prosecutor Guirec Le Bras.
The boy's mother was reportedly napping with their 18-month-old child, while the father was working in a garden shed. The father had instructed the three-year-old to nap, but the child is believed to have left his parents' supervision for at least 45 minutes and entered the car. The child lock engaged, trapping him inside the vehicle before he was found unconscious by his parents.
Neighbors reported hearing the boy's mother screaming for approximately ten minutes. A bus driver noticed the commotion and attempted to revive the child before emergency services arrived. The mother was later taken to a hospital in a state of shock. The mayor of Saint-Gratien expressed deep sadness over the tragedy.
This death follows that of two young siblings, aged four and two, found unresponsive in a car in Carpentras on Monday afternoon. They suffered cardiac arrest in temperatures reaching 40C (104F), and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. An elderly British woman also died at a French campsite during the heatwave.
The heatwave, described as a Saharan heat dome, has caused widespread disruption across Europe. France recorded its hottest day since 1947 on Wednesday, with the national average temperature reaching 30C (86F). Paris reported a rise in heat-related cardiac arrests, with 25 recorded in the 24 hours prior to Thursday. In Spain, the heatwave has been linked to 212 deaths between Sunday and Wednesday.
Extreme heat has led to the closure of three nuclear reactors in France due to high temperatures affecting cooling water access. Forest fires have also broken out in southwestern France and Spain's Catalonia region. In England, the UK recorded its hottest June day, prompting a red alert for heat in several regions and leading to school closures and train service cancellations.
Authorities have issued warnings about the dangers of extreme heat, urging vigilance. Major attractions in France, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, have adjusted operating hours. Over 100 million people across France, Italy, and Spain have been alerted to the risks associated with the ongoing heatwave.