Baltimore DPW worker who died from overheating "was trying to get some water," resident said

BALTIMORE -- A worker with Baltimore's Department of Public Works died from overheating while on the job last week.

A resident in the Barclay community said he knew something was wrong when he saw Ronald Silver II lying on the hood of a vehicle and asking for water.

"When I pulled up, he was laying on the car, like on the hood," Michael Cox said. "He was trying to get some water."

Silver collapsed along Guilford Avenue on Friday and later died at the hospital, according to DPW officials.

Silver knocked on another neighbor's door looking for help, according to Cox. The neighbor then tried her best to revive Silver who was unresponsive.

"She splashed him with a couple things of cold water but there was no response," Cox said.  "She's trying to give him CPR, but I know she's not strong enough to really hit that point."

The Medical Examiner says Silver died from hyperthermia, meaning his body overheated.

On the day of Silver's death, Baltimore City was in a Code Red Extreme Heat Alert. Temperatures reached 100 degrees with a heat index of around 105 degrees.

His death comes just weeks after a concerning report from Baltimore's Inspector General came out detailing several issues at DPW facilities, including staff not being given cold water and Gatorade or proper cooling facilities.

"They should always have ice water, especially in this heat," Cox said.

The union Silver belonged to, AFSCME Council 3, is investigating his death and sent a statement to WJZ saying in part: "Whatever steps that have previously been made to keep our members safe isn't working. Management needs to be taking the Health and Safety of our membership far more seriously."

The Mayor's Office and DPW also say they're investigating, but in the meantime, they're pausing trash collection on Tuesday Baltimore DPW suspends trash, recycling pickup Tuesday to focus on safety after worker's death to hold mandatory heat safety training for employees at the Reedbird and Bowley's Lane facilities, Both of which we're listed in the IG's report.

In addition to Tuesday's training, several councilmembers and labor unions plan to gather to call for safer conditions for DPW workers.