2 Dozen Succumb to Relentless Heat

Unrelenting summer heat was being blamed for more than two dozen deaths, buckled pavement and badly stressed electrical grids across the Midwest. The heat-related death toll in St. Louis rose to seven since late last week with the discovery of the partially decomposed body of another elderly resident, the local medical examiner said. The victim’s apartment lacked air conditioning. Two other deaths across the Mississippi River in East St. Louis and Peoria, Ill., were blamed on the heat, authorities said. Heat was blamed for eight deaths in Chicago over the last six days, and nine people have died from heat-related causes in Cincinnati. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for six states from Arkansas to Florida. A line of thunderstorms was expected to offer temporary relief from temperatures that climbed as high as 100 degrees.