Hugo woman dies while cleaning up tornado debris

All that remains
The door post is the only item that remained standing at this home in Hugo after Sunday's tornado.
MPR Photo/Tom Weber

Authorities say a Hugo woman whose house was damaged in Sunday's tornado has died of an apparent heart attack.

Sgt. Wayne Johnson of the Washington County sheriff's office says a woman in her 50s or 60s was cleaning up the remains of her house yesterday.

"Apparently she had walked out into the yard and called for help twice, and then just sat down and just fell backwards," Johnson said. "She was unconscious and not breathing at that time."

Johnson says a construction worker in the area, who happens to be a Fridley firefighter, started CPR right away.

The woman was taken to St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, where she was pronounced dead. The woman's name has not been released.

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