PHOENIX, United States: Mobile home heat deaths occur at sharply higher rates than in traditional housing, with Arizona researchers finding residents face six to eight times the risk in Maricopa County.
Geographer Patricia Solis of Arizona State University identified the pattern after mapping heat-related deaths alongside areas receiving assistance with summer electricity bills. Many of the highest-risk clusters were mobile home parks.
An investigation by NPR and Boston University estimated that about 9,000 Americans die from heat-related causes each year. That is more than five times the toll reflected in federal statistics, according to the investigation.
Researchers linked the elevated risk in manufactured housing to ageing buildings, inadequate insulation, expensive cooling and electrical systems that may struggle to support air conditioners. Many parks also have limited shade and large paved areas that intensify heat.
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The risks were illustrated by the death of Sheri Petty, 76, near Tucson. Her bedroom air conditioner and later the home’s swamp cooler failed during a prolonged period of temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Her daughter, Tara Gentner, said Petty was found on the floor while the cooler blew hot air. Petty suffered cardiac arrest triggered by heatstroke and had a body temperature of 106 degrees before dying at a hospital.
Affordability can further limit access to cooling. Residents told researchers they sometimes could not afford electricity or repairs, while some mobile home park billing arrangements can make households ineligible for utility assistance.
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Arizona communities have begun expanding insulation, electrical and cooling assistance programs, although officials say demand often exceeds available resources.
