Europe

Heatwave in France: three children found dead in a car

An exceptional heatwave has led to the death of a child who was left alone in a car outside his home in the Île-de-France region.

by Enrico Bronzo

25 June 2026aggiornato alle 20

Europa nella morsa del caldo, Oms lancia allarme: "E' emergenza sanitaria"

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Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Scorching heat: two more nuclear reactors (out of 57) shut down in France
Spain: death toll from heatwave-related causes rises to 212: 95 deaths yesterday

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

A three-year-old boy died on Wednesday afternoon whilst left alone in a car in Saint-Gratien, Val-d’Oise, in the Île-de-France region, during a heatwave, according to information obtained today from various sources. On Monday, France was shocked by the deaths of two other children, aged two and four found dead in the family car in a residential car park in Carpentras, in the south of the country

"The child was found by his parents in the car parked outside their home," a police source said, whilst the fire brigade confirmed the death.

Also in France, around 3,500 schools have remained closed and 10,000 have adjusted their timetables, concentrating lessons mainly in the early morning, due to the scorching heat that is still affecting France today: this was reported by the French Minister for Education, Edouard Geffray, in an interview with France 2.

Scorching heat: two more nuclear reactors (out of 57) shut down in France

Three nuclear reactors (out of 57. Ed.) have now been shut down in France due to the scorching heatwave sweeping the country.

For the electricity supplier EDF, there is in fact a requirement to comply with the 28-degree limit on the temperature of river water used to cool its power stations.

Today, EDF announced the shutdown of reactor number 1 at the Nogent-sur-Seine nuclear power station (Aube), as well as that at Bugey, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Last Monday, the Golfech reactor had already been shut down. According to a statement by EDF to Agence France-Presse, production cuts are also expected at other power stations across the country.

Spain: death toll from heatwave-related causes rises to 212

According to data from the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo) of the Carlos III Health Institute, 212 people are reported to have died in Spain since Sunday – the day the heatwave began – from causes linked to high temperatures.

Thirteen people lost their lives on Sunday, 38 on Monday, 66 on Tuesday and 95 yesterday.

The figures also include people with underlying health conditions whose health has been exacerbated by the extreme heat.

F1: The FIA classifies the Austrian Grand Prix as high-risk due to the heat

The Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix on 28 June has been classified by the FIA as a high-heat-risk event, due to weather forecasts predicting temperatures in excess of 31°C over the race weekend.

The decision by Formula 1’s governing body involves the introduction of specific measures to protect drivers, including the option to use a mandatory cooling kit. The system involves circulating a coolant, such as glycol, through a fire-resistant jacket worn under the racing suit.

Use of the device is not compulsory, but drivers who choose not to use it must still carry 5 kg of additional ballast on board, to ensure a level playing field between all cars.

Austria is the first event of the 2026 season to be classified as a heat risk, due to a heatwave currently affecting Central Europe, which has already led to record temperatures in several countries.

The regulations had already been applied previously at the Singapore and United States Grands Prix, where extreme weather conditions had made it necessary for the FIA to intervene. High temperatures pose a significant challenge for drivers, who can be exposed to temperatures of over 40°C inside the cockpit, a situation further exacerbated by the mandatory fire-retardant gear.