Man died waiting for ambulance

JASPER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - A 49-year-old Jasper man, who apparently suffered a heart attack, died on Tuesday afternoon in Kirbyville while waiting for an ambulance. The nearest one was in Silsbee, over 30 miles away.

According to Kirbyville Police Chief Jeff Clopp, his department received a report of a man in cardiac arrest at the Burke Center on Highway 96. Clopp said one of his officers, and a Burke Center employee, performed CPR on the man for about 30 minutes until he was pronounced dead at 1:10 by Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Susan Ratcliff.

Clopp said the nearest ambulance available was in Silsbee, operated by a company that doesn't even work in this area.

The man, whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, would have turned 50 on Friday. Clopp said the deceased was a mentally challenged patient of the Burke Center.