Trash collector dies on 103-degree day in Baltimore, officials say. What we know
New details about the death of a 36-year-old Baltimore city worker were released in a post-mortem examination report shared by officials.
Ronald E. Silver II died unexpectedly Aug. 2 while working as a trash collector for the Bureau of Solid Waste in Baltimore, according to an Aug. 3 statement from the city.
According to the release, Silver was riding in the truck with his colleagues toward the end of the work day when he experienced a serious medical situation that turned fatal.
A post-mortem examination report, signed by state medical officials Sept. 9, said Silver’s death was an accident — a result of hyperthermia due to “elevated environmental temperatures.”
Silver was working through a heat index of up to 103 degrees and experienced hyperthermia symptoms, including leg cramps, muscle rigidity, altered mentation and dehydration, according to the report.
The 36-year-old also had asked for water to be poured on him which, doctors said, “is consistent with his death being heat related.”
Medical officials noted that because a complete autopsy was not done, per the family’s request due to religious reasons, the report is limited.
McClatchy News reached out to the family’s attorney Sept. 13 but did not receive an immediate response.
Silver was known as “the backbone and heartbeat” of his family, his aunt said in an interview with the Baltimore Banner.
The father of five, who often went by “Ronnie,” was also engaged to be married, WYPR reported.
“Ronald was a man whose family meant the world to him. He took extreme pride in being able to take care of us,” his fiancée, Renee Garrison, told WYPR. “He loved shopping for the latest, watching Marvel movies and then quoting them, word for word, listening to music and doing my favorite activity — which was whatever Renee wanted.”
Baltimore City reviews workplace safety
Days after Silver’s death, Baltimore city officials announced in a statement they would be reviewing the Department of Public Works’ safety practices.
Officials said a Washington, D.C.-based law firm specializing in workplace safety was hired to conduct the evaluation.
“Together, we will ensure that all City workers and their families can have the peace of mind knowing that nothing is more important than the safety of frontline public servants who make our city run,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in the Aug. 16 release.
The city expects a final set of recommendations by the end of the month, according to the release.
Thiru Vignarajah, the attorney representing Silver’s family, called it “strange” the city hired its own investigator to handle the case, according to WJZ-TV.
“We are hopeful that there will be continued hearings, continued investigations. We specifically have asked, and we hope the inspector general is continuing her investigation,” Vignarajah said, as reported by WBAL. “But the reality is that the family is still in the dark, and as long as the family remains in the dark, it is very hard for that family to heal.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Trash collector dies on 103-degree day in Baltimore, officials say. What we know."
