Teen 'near death' from heat stroke

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin/Travis County EMS workers responded to a heat-related emergency around 12:30 p.m. at 704 West Avenue where they found a 17-year old construction worker, unconscious, suffering from severe heat stroke.

"I've been doing this 14 years, throughout the nation, and this one was probably the worst that I've seen," said Paramedic Ryan Haston.

The teenager had a core body temperature of 108 degrees when paramedics arrived. Brain death can begin at 106 degrees.

"He was unresponsive when we got there," Haston said. "We immediately took the gentleman to the back of our truck and started aggressive cooling measures," he said.

Paramedics say fellow co-workers were tending to the unconscious teenager when they arrived.

"His core temperature like I said was well above what the human body can stand. By the time we got him to the hospital, he was actually doing much better. (We have) spoken to him since and he's more or less back to normal," Haston said.

Paramedics were able to lower his temperature to 103 degrees when they arrived at the hospital. Hospital staff were then able to lower his temperature to a more mornal 98 degrees, where he remains alert and stable.

"He said he hadn't been drinking a lot of water, which is definitely something you should do in the heat. He didn't have a hat on, he had (on) a hard hat, which is going to trap heat. And they weren't taking breaks," Haston said.

KXAN called the builders listed on signs at the construction site in the area, Harvey-Cleary , but they would not respond to media requests about the incident.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA , is now investigating the case.

For more on the signs and prevention of heat stress and heat stroke, click here .