France heat wave deaths rise as two children found in car

Two children aged 2 and 4 were found dead in their family car in Carpentras. Investigators identified the heat wave as the leading hypothesis for the deaths and said the children had locked themselves inside the car in a residential parking lot.

France recorded its hottest day ever on June 23, when Météo-France’s national thermal indicator reached 29.8C, above the previous record of 29.4C set in July 2019. Temperatures climbed above 40C in parts of the country, Bordeaux hit 41.9C, and forecasters warned some areas could reach 43C as the heat settled over much of France.

More than 800 schools were closed and about 1,800 others altered schedules, while rail services were cut or canceled in some areas. Large parts of the country were placed under the highest-level red heat alert, and authorities canceled or restricted some public events as the French government held a crisis meeting and introduced precautionary measures.

The country has limited air-conditioning compared with some others, leaving classrooms, homes and public transport less protected when temperatures spike. Officials and forecasters warned the episode could be as serious as the 2003 heat wave, which killed nearly 15,000 people in France.

By June 22 and 23, at least 18 people had died in France, including the two children in Carpentras.