NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — All autopsies have been paused at the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office due to a broken air conditioner.
Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna says he’s frustrated by the broken air conditioner, and he’s asking the city to permanently fix the problem.
He said temperatures need to be between 58 and 62 degrees to resume examinations, and the air conditioner has been broken for days.
“They bought in some temporary units the day before yesterday. They didn’t work, they didn’t do the job. Everything is delayed until our pathologists can work in safe condition, and that is not happening. Right now, we are a few days behind. We were not able to work for the last couple of days, but we tried, and we have to stop. Once the temperature gets up below 65 in there, they cannot work,” said McKenna.
WGNO reached out to the city for a response. A spokesperson said, “We are also in consultation with the original mechanical engineers to determine both an expedient remedy and a longer-term solution. We understand that this is above the comfortable working threshold for an autopsy room and will continue to address the issue.”
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