A 65-year-old man in Rapides Parish has died from hypothermia, a death confirmed as being weather-related, according to the Louisiana Department of Health on Thursday.
The identity of the man was not released.
Earlier in the day, the city of Alexandria announced it was opening a warming station at the Bolton Avenue Community Center, 315 Bolton Ave. A news release stated the city was “adding flexibility to its normal temperature triggers” in opening the station and was working with other agencies to monitor the situation.
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An email to a city spokesperson asking if the hypothermia death factored into the decision to open the station wasn’t immediately answered.
The warming station is not equipped to handle those with special medical needs, reads the release. It is for locals and is open from 2 p.m. on Thursday until Monday as temperatures are expected to rise again.
The station has cots and Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), reads the release. Visitors must be able to move on their own and take care of themselves, it states.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: State reports Rapides man dies of hypothermia; Alexandria opens shelter