Cardiac arrest: Dead rides unnoticed in the tram through Zurich for six hours
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In Zurich, a man suffered a cardiac arrest in the tram – and nobody noticed. After six hours, only his death could be determined.
On the way to work, a 64-year-old in Zurich suffered a cardiac arrest in the tram. As the Swiss news portal “20 Minuten” reports, the man died on the train. Apparently, both the cardiac arrest and his death went unnoticed by the other passengers – and so the deceased rode the tram through Zurich for six hours. Only then did a passenger notice him and alert the tram driver.
The rescue workers who were called could only determine death. “My father had been dead for hours,” said the deceased’s son, “20 minutes”. On video recordings of the Zurich public transport company, he could suddenly slump and sit motionless. According to the Zurich City Police, the involvement of third parties can be ruled out. The grief of the deceased’s family is also appalled that none of the other passengers noticed the emergency. “The ignorance of the people makes me stunned and sad,” said the son.
Chest compressions can save lives
The relatives are now making the tragic case public in order to make people aware of similar situations in which others need quick help. “Unfortunately, moral courage is no longer commonplace. Nowadays people are too focused on themselves and no longer even notice their surroundings,” said the deceased’s 40-year-old son.
Any help came too late for his father. In an emergency, passers-by are called upon to alert an ambulance or the police immediately. At a Cardiac arrest It is also important to provide first aid as soon as possible, as the brain can be damaged after a few minutes of the oxygen deficiency. Chest compressions should therefore be carried out until the emergency services arrive.
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This article originally appeared on stern.de.