New Jersey Leads Death Toll as Heat Dome Persists

New Jersey has emerged as the epicenter of the heat‑wave fatalities, reporting 22 deaths across ten counties. Most of the victims were found in homes without air‑conditioning, on sidewalks, or inside parked vehicles that had become ovens. The state's health commissioner confirmed the first death occurred on Thursday and emphasized that many of the deceased were unable to escape the intense indoor heat.

Medical examiners are conducting autopsies to confirm heat stroke as the definitive cause, while officials continue to distribute cooling stations and emergency assistance to vulnerable neighborhoods.