MOBILE (AP) — Workers used fans and portable air conditioners to cool patients and doctors canceled elective surgeries after the central cooling system failed in a busy hospital Monday on one of the hottest days of the summer.

The crisis at the University of South Alabama Medical Center occurred as temperatures approached 100 degrees on the Gulf Coast, where forecasters said the combination of heat and humidity made it feel like 115 degrees. Other parts of the state hit triple digits, and a 19-month-old child in Tuscaloosa County apparently died of heat-related causes inside a car.

The main cooling unit at the Mobile hospital stopped working during the predawn hours and still wasn’t fixed as temperatures rose in the afternoon.

Workers moved fans into some patient rooms to help relieve steamy conditions, and hospital spokesman Bob Lowry said the state was bringing in 21 portable cooling units. The hospital diverted emergency cases elsewhere as a precaution.

“The lobby of the hospital is fairly warm, but some areas are probably more comfortable than others,” he said.

Dozens of people who normally live on the streets of downtown Birmingham sought shelter inside the city auditorium rather than sweat outdoors. Mitchell Brown ducked inside for a few bottles of cold water when he couldn’t bear temperatures in the upper 90s any more.

“It’s miserably hot,” said Brown. “You get weary, lightheaded and just feel weak if you’re out in it.”

Scattered afternoon showers beat back the heat in some areas, but the National Weather Service said temperatures could be dangerously hot for days. The weather service issued a warning about excessive heat statewide, saying temperatures would feel like it was more than 110 degrees across south Alabama for days because of the humidity.

The 19-month-old girl appeared to have died due to sweltering temperatures inside a car at her home in the Echola community near Gordo. Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Homicide Unit, said Monday the girl’s young siblings were getting things out of the car when the girl apparently got trapped inside without family members realizing it until too late.

He said she was found on the floor of the car by the front passenger seat. The doors were not locked, but were closed along with the windows, he said.

Baker said the death is being investigated to determine the cause.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
Summary
Date:    8/2/2010 7:05 PM
Slug:    BC-AL–Alabama Heat,1st Ld-Writethru
Headline:    AC fails in major Ala. hospital as temps near 100
Source:    AP
Byline:
Copyright Holder:    AP
Priority:    r (4)
With Photo:
Dateline:    MOBILE, Ala.
Lead
Editors’ Note:    Eds: Rewrites first paragraph and updates with more details, quotes.
Word Count:    415
File Name (Transref):    J1854
Editorial Type:    Lead
AP Category:    n
Format:    bx

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MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Workers used fans and portable air conditioners to cool patients and doctors canceled elective surgeries after the central cooling system failed in a busy hospital Monday on one of the hottest days of the summer. The crisis at the University of South Alabama Medical Center occurred as temperatures approached 100 degrees on the Gulf Coast, where forecasters said the combination of heat and humidity made it feel like 115 degrees. Other parts of the state hit triple digits, and a 19-month-old child in Tuscaloosa County apparently died of heat-related causes inside a car. The main cooling unit at the Mobile hospital stopped working during the predawn hours and still wasn’t fixed as temperatures rose in the afternoon. Workers moved fans into some patient rooms to help relieve steamy conditions, and hospital spokesman Bob Lowry said the state was bringing in 21 portable cooling units. The hospital diverted emergency cases elsewhere as a precaution. “The lobby of the hospital is fairly warm, but some areas are probably more comfortable than others,” he said. Dozens of people who normally live on the streets of downtown Birmingham sought shelter inside the city auditorium rather than sweat outdoors. Mitchell Brown ducked inside for a few bottles of cold water when he couldn’t bear temperatures in the upper 90s any more. “It’s miserably hot,” said Brown. “You get weary, lightheaded and just feel weak if you’re out in it.” Scattered afternoon showers beat back the heat in some areas, but the National Weather Service said temperatures could be dangerously hot for days. The weather service issued a warning about excessive heat statewide, saying temperatures would feel like it was more than 110 degrees across south Alabama for days because of the humidity. The 19-month-old girl appeared to have died due to sweltering temperatures inside a car at her home in the Echola community near Gordo. Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Homicide Unit, said Monday the girl’s young siblings were getting things out of the car when the girl apparently got trapped inside without family members realizing it until too late. He said she was found on the floor of the car by the front passenger seat. The doors were not locked, but were closed along with the windows, he said. Baker said the death is being investigated to determine the cause.