FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. – An Amazon delivery driver died after she was found unresponsive inside a delivery truck in Fruitland Park, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called Monday evening after a resident noticed the Amazon truck had been parked near the end of his driveway for several hours.
Patrick Miranda, who lives nearby, said he called the sheriff’s office non-emergency line after noticing the truck was still running.
“I see the phone is still plugged in. The backpack is there and again the car is running, but there is no one,” Miranda said. “It seemed kind of strange.”
Surveillance video from Miranda’s home shows deputies and Lake County Fire Rescue responding to the scene. One image shows the side door of the Amazon truck open.
Miranda said a deputy initially opened the passenger-side door and appeared to react to fumes before opening the rear doors and finding the woman unconscious.
“The police officer opened the passenger side front and he had some fumes, he had to reel back from,” Miranda said. “Then he opened the back, the sliding doors, and she was lying there in the back unconscious.”
Miranda said he later saw one of the deputies step away from the truck and appear lightheaded.
“I’m not sure if there were fumes from either the vent, if there’s a package,” Miranda said. “There was a lot of speculation at the time from both the officers and the other people involved.”
Because of concerns about potentially toxic substances, Miranda said firefighters wearing gas masks responded and the area around the truck was secured.
He also said the woman was sprayed with a fire hose before paramedics began life-saving measures.
“Because they were worried about toxic chemicals, I remember they did use a fire hose to rinse her off to make sure there was nothing on her clothes or person,” Miranda said. “But immediately after that, they were using life-saving measures.”
The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
The cause of death has not been determined.
“Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau are continuing to investigate this incident,” the sheriff’s office said.
Miranda said fire rescue crews remained at the scene for several hours, including conducting what appeared to be an examination and cleanup of the delivery vehicle.
The identity of the driver has not been released.
Amazon released this statement to News 6:
“We’re deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with the driver’s loved ones during this difficult time. We’re cooperating fully with local authorities in their investigation.”