Heat in Butler, Missouri

Across southeast Missouri, the heat index reached or exceeded 105 degrees on three consecutive afternoons. In Poplar Bluff, an elderly man 78 years of age died in his apartment. The apartment was not air conditioned, and all windows were closed. Heat was likely the primary factor since the man did not have any past medical conditions that would have contributed to his death. At Poplar Bluff, the peak heat index was 106 degrees on the 19th, 110 on the 20th, and 112 on the 21st. At Cape Girardeau, the heat index peaked at 107 degrees on the 19th, 109 on the 20th, and 107 on the 21st. Public health officials opened several cooling centers in Cape Girardeau for those without air conditioning.