ZEPHYRHILLS - Authorities say they are investigating the death of a 25-year-old man found in a home's attic that was approximately 120 degrees.
For now, the death is being considered accidental, Pasco County sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin said. But, Tobin said, an autopsy will pinpoint exactly why Ryan Atwood died Wednesday afternoon.
According to a Sheriff's Office report, deputies arrived at 38413 Jendral Ave. about 3:24 p.m., when Atwood was lying inside the attic, several wires lying across his chest and arms. After cutting a hole in the attic floor and lowering Atwood through it, officials tried to detect signs of life and did not find any. Atwood was pronounced dead at 3:34 p.m.
Atwood's fiancee, Sandra Brooks, told investigators that Atwood had said he was going to go into the attic to try to fix the air-conditioning duct, which had not been working properly. She added that Atwood had suffered either heat exhaustion or a heat stroke twice within the past several weeks, authorities said.
