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More than 100 people received medical attention due to heat-related illness Thursday at a train show in Reading, Pennsylvania, declaring it a “mass casualty incident.”
Crowds gathered at Reading Outer Station in Muhlenberg Township to watch the historic Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive.
Operational delays pushed the locomotive’s arrival back more than an hour, leaving attendees waiting in about 106-degree heat, the Muhlenberg Township Police Department said in a news release.
“More than 100 individuals received medical treatment on scene, and 35 patients were transported to area hospitals for further evaluation and care. One patient suffered cardiac arrest and was successfully resuscitated prior to transport,” the police said.
The train’s delayed arrival due to the heat meant many spectators had to remain in the blistering sun longer than expected, worsening the situation, officials said. Emergency medical crews quickly exhausted local resources and called for assistance from neighboring Chester and Montgomery counties.
More than 100 people required medical attention while watching the historic Big Boy No. 4014 steam locomotive pass through Reading, Pennsylvania, Thursday, including one person who suffered cardiac arrest (Getty)
Big Boy No. 4014 will be on display at the Philadelphia Navy Yard over the holiday weekend, with temperatures expected to approach 100 degrees (Getty)
Police define a mass casualty incident as “any emergency where the number, type, or severity of victims overwhelms the available local resources, first responders, and medical personnel.”
It is not determined by a specific patient count, but by whether the system is overwhelmed and unable to handle the volume, police said in an update Friday.
The event was part of Big Boy No. 4014’s nationwide tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Built in the 1940s, the legendary engine is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive.
Big Boy No. 4014 is making several stops across the country before heading to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for public displays on Saturday and Sunday.
Philadelphia is also gearing up for an intense heat wave over the weekend, with thick humidity pushing feels-like temperatures well over 100 degrees. On top of that, scattered thunderstorms could roll in during the afternoon and evening, potentially disrupting outdoor events and celebrations.