HOUSTON – The sweltering heat claimed the lives of many people who were without power after Hurricane Beryl.
Nearly 2.2 million were left without power after the storm knocked down trees and powerlines across the Houston area. CenterPoint Energy has been facing major backlash for its response time after tens of thousands were powerless for days.
As of Thursday, KPRC 2 has learned from both the Harris County and Galveston County Medical Examiners’ offices that eight people have died from hyperthermia while waiting for their power to be restored.
One of the victims has been identified as 78-year-old Oscar Rodriguez, who was found unresponsive in his powerless home on July 10 in northwest Houston.
KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with his family Thursday.
A big concern the family has is the mixed communication they received from CenterPoint Energy before their father’s death.
They said he has some health issues, but he didn’t’ show any signs that he was in danger.
“There (are) no words can describe what this whole week has been for all of us,” said Ana Pena, Rodriguez’s granddaughter.
Pena said she received a text message from her uncle that now leaves a scarring memory in her mind after he told her he found her grandfather unresponsive.
Medical examiners ruled his cause of death was due to hypothermia due to loss of electricity and not being able to cool his body temperature down.
Pena said her grandfather was without power for nearly three days before he died.
During that time, she said he received conflicting messages from CenterPoint.
“CenterPoint could have done a lot better,” Pena said. “CenterPoint was giving mixed messages to everybody, saying lights were on when they weren’t, and my uncle’s house was one of them.”
She said the power at her grandfather’s house wasn’t restored until nearly a week after he passed.
Pena is hoping she can shift the tragedy into the positive memories she shared with him.
“He was a big teddy bear. He loved his hugs. Gave always gave his grandkids hugs and kisses. Loving. Tender, hardworking,” she said. “He always put his family first. There was nothing that didn’t come before his family.”
KPRC 2 reached out to CenterPoint Energy and did not make specific comments regarding Rodriguez’s power outage but said they are sending condolences to the families who lost their lives during the storm.