New Jersey Heat Death Toll Reaches 22 as 165,000 Homes Remain Without Power on July 5

Since the heat wave first produced suspected fatalities in New Jersey on Thursday, the death count has climbed to 22, up from 19 reported Saturday morning. That updated figure came from the New Jersey Department of Health, as reported by Anadolu Agency. The victims ranged in age from their 30s to their 80s, spread across 10 counties concentrated in central and northern New Jersey.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington said most victims were found inside homes without air conditioning. Others were discovered outdoors or in parked vehicles. Washington's department is now sending cooling equipment and generators to healthcare facilities under strain and, in some cases, evacuating patients.

Nationwide, the heat wave death toll stood at 25 as of July 5, according to Anadolu Agency, with nearly 156 million people across the eastern two-thirds of the country still under heat alerts issued by the National Weather Service.

The Grid and Transit Picture

Friday night's storm system compounded the danger. According to Governor Sherrill, utility companies had restored power to roughly 135,000 customers by Saturday afternoon, but 165,000 homes and businesses remained without power as of that briefing.

NJ Transit took direct infrastructure hits. Transit head Kris Kolluri told reporters at Saturday's press conference that of the agency's 12 train lines, only eight were operational, with damage concentrated on the Morris and Essex lines and the Jersey coastline route. Kolluri said the coastline line was expected to return to service by sometime Saturday afternoon and that crews were also preparing for Sunday's FIFA match. "The weather tonight could get really challenging," Kolluri said. "We want to make sure the public is safe and our employees are safe."

What Washington and New York Looked Like on July 4

In Washington, D.C., emergency workers and National Guard members treated attendees for heat illness during the Salute to America 250 celebrations on the National Mall, which marked the country's 250th anniversary. Festivities were temporarily halted after the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency urged people to seek shelter because of a severe thunderstorm moving through the area, according to Anadolu Agency.

In New York City, Central Park hit 100 degrees on Thursday, tying the hottest day recorded there since 1966, according to the New York Post. Real-feel temperatures across the metro area climbed to around 110 degrees, and subway platforms on multiple lines registered mid-to-high 90s with heat indices above 100.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to set thermostats to 78 degrees to reduce strain on the power grid. The city had not confirmed any heat deaths from the current event as of Saturday, though a City Hall spokesperson noted that roughly 500 New Yorkers die from heat-related illness annually.

The Strongest Counterpoint on Government Response

Critics of both state and federal energy policy have argued for years that an aging grid combined with the accelerated retirement of dispatchable baseload generation—coal and nuclear—leaves communities exposed precisely during events like this one. If dispatchable capacity has been systematically reduced in favor of intermittent renewables, heat emergencies create acute pressure on vulnerable people in homes without air conditioning.

Sherrill's administration has not addressed that structural question directly. Her Saturday briefing focused on immediate emergency response: the state's contact with over 400 municipalities, round-the-clock utility crew deployments, and preparation for additional weather. Board of Public Utilities Director Frank Graffney said all available resources were deployed and warned the public to stay away from downed power lines.

Sunday Threat

The National Weather Service told Anadolu Agency that cooler air moving south from Canada is expected to push the heat dome south and west in coming days, easing extreme temperatures in the Northeast. But the agency warned that dangerous overnight heat and high humidity are expected to persist before that relief arrives.

Sherrill said Sunday's worst conditions are expected in South Jersey, with more thunderstorms and potential flash flooding. NJ Transit's Kolluri indicated his agency's focus heading into Sunday was both the weather threat and ensuring safe operations for the FIFA event.

The New Jersey Department of Labor issued Safety Alert #41 on July 2, reminding public employers of their obligations under the PEOSH Act's General Duty Clause to protect outdoor workers, firefighters, sanitation workers, and public works laborers from heat hazards. Acting Labor Commissioner Kevin D. Jarvis called worker heat protection "paramount." Whether private employers face equivalent enforcement pressure under federal OSHA—which still lacks a finalized heat-specific standard—remains an open question as the death toll continues to rise.