Ice Storm Related Death

By Lara Bricker
news@seacoastonline.com
December 15, 2008 3:05 PM
EPPING — An Epping man dependent on medical oxygen was found dead inside his home Sunday night.
The 60-year-old man had a battery backup for his oxygen, but the battery only worked for a limited amount of time, Epping Police Chief Greg Dodge said. A neighbor called police to ask them to check on him Sunday night.
Police responded to the 3 Mill Pond Road apartment at 9:15 p.m. Sunday and found the man lying on his bed, deceased, Dodge said. The man lived alone and no one had heard from him since Friday. The exact cause of death is not known, though it is suspected the lack of medical oxygen is to blame.
A medical surge shelter was opened inside the Epping Fire Department over the weekend with cooperation from the Epping and Exeter fire departments. That shelter was opened to care for people left without power who had health concerns, such as the need for medical oxygen. At the height of the power outage, the medical shelter in Epping was used by 10 to 12 people, according to fire officials.