Man on breathing machine dies after generator fails

BRIDGETON, Mo. -- A 56-year-old stroke patient at a nursing home in this St. Louis suburb died when a backup generator running his breathing machine failed after several storm-related power outages.

"We can't believe what has happened," said the Rev. B.T. Rice, of the New Horizon Seventh Day Christian Church in Cool Valley, where retiree Rass "Ralph" Rodgers was a member. "We thought he was getting better."

Rodgers, of Ferguson, died early Saturday at DePaul Health Center, where paramedics had transferred him after the backup generator at the 76-resident Life Care Center failed after the outages.

As a result, a machine helping Rodgers breathe quit working, the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office said.

His exact cause of death is not yet known. Bridgeton police are investigating.

Rodgers' family sought care at the nursing home after he recently suffered a stroke, investigators said.

Health-care sites typically have at least one power-providing backup in case of emergency. In such situations, nurses and other health workers must plug vital machines into a second "red" outlet connected to backup generators.

The nursing home's backup generator performed well during several power failures Friday and Saturday until about 6 a.m. Saturday, when the generator's alarm failed. Workers were unaware of a problem, said Dean Daigger, the nursing home's executive director.