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Belz, who was in his second semester at the university and hailed originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was transported to a hospital, where he later died, a spokesperson for the University of Iowa told PEOPLE.
The spokesperson added that no foul play is suspected. In an interview withlocal CBS affiliate KGAN, Belz’s family said doctors had confirmed that he did not have any alcohol in his system at the time.
Though the investigation into Belz’s death is ongoing, officials believe the cause of death is weather-related.
The wind chill at the time university police found Belz outside was -51 degrees Fahrenheit, according to theNational Weather Service.
The Midwest, from the Dakotas to Western New York, isexperiencing some of the coldest temperaturesto hit the region in more than two decades,according to The Weather Channel. On Wednesday morning, it was -23 degrees Fahrenheit in Chicago, and the National Weather Service recorded -30 in Wisconsin.The negative temperaturesextend as far south as Kentucky, and according to The Weather Channel, things won’t get milder until the weekend.
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This type of bone-chilling cold can be life-threatening. As many as eight deaths have already been reported in the U.S. as of Thursday morning,according to theNew York Times.
On Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa, warned residents about the cold air, adding that anyone outside should “minimize talking.”
“Make sure your mouth is covered to protect your lungs from severely cold air,” the NWS said, according toUSA Today. “Avoid taking deep breaths; minimize talking.”
“This is the coldest air many of us will have ever experienced. It’s not a case of ‘Meh, it’s Iowa during winter and this cold happens.’ These are record-breaking cold air temperatures, with wind chill values not seen in the 21st century in Iowa.”
“Losing a fellow student and member of our university family is difficult,” the university spokesperson told PEOPLE. “We encourage our students to reach out if they are in need of support.”
source: people.com
