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Europe's record heat has overwhelmed Paris mortuaries and left families in distress
By John Leicester and Jeffrey Schaeffer | The Associated Press at NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS)
· June 29, 2026
· 4 min read
Every few minutes, the mortuary owner’s phone rings. Since a record-smashing heat wave started taking lives and storage space for bodies in Paris and beyond, the funeral directors and mourning families calling him mostly have the same question: Do you have room for one more?
With all 32 places...
Key takeaway With all 32 places in his cold room taken, Zouhaeir Hertelli reluctantly has to gently say “Non,” over and over and over again.
Why this matters in The Trophy Club
The devastating impact of Europe's record heat wave on Paris mortuaries is a stark reminder of the importance of disaster preparedness in our own community. As Trophy Club residents, we can draw parallels between the overwhelmed mortuaries in Paris and our own local emergency response systems. The sheer number of heat-related deaths in France highlights the need for our city to review its own heat wave response plans, ensuring that our public health agencies and emergency services are equipped to handle a similar crisis. Furthermore, the fact that most deaths in France occurred among older people who died at home underscores the importance of checking on vulnerable neighbors during extreme weather events, a practice that can be just as crucial in our own community. As we watch the situation unfold in Europe, we should take this opportunity to assess our own preparedness and consider ways to support our neighbors in the face of extreme weather.
About this story
Original reporting by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) . The Trophy Club surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 29, 2026 ·
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) ·
Reading time: 4 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Every few minutes, the mortuary owner’s phone rings. Since a record-smashing heat wave started taking lives and storage space for bodies in Paris and beyond, the funeral directors and mourning families calling him mostly have the same question: Do you have room for one more?
With all 32 places...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 29, 2026 by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) and curated for The Trophy Club readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by John Leicester and Jeffrey Schaeffer | The Associated Press at NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS). To learn more about how The Trophy Club selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Trophy Club, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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