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Woman dies after collapsing while mountain biking in Phoenix

Phoenix firefighters worked to help a 28-year-old personal trainer and avid hiker who stopped breathing while mountain biking near I-17 and Jomax Road Sunday morning.

<p>The scene where fire crews worked to rescue a woman who collapsed while mountain biking Sunday, June 19, 2016.</p>

PHOENIX - For the second time this weekend, triple-digit temperatures turned deadly on Valley mountain trails.

The most recent death happened early Sunday morning when Phoenix firefighters say a 28-year-old mountain biker collapsed on the Desert Vista Trail in north Phoenix and went unconscious.


Firefighters say the group was about three hours into their ride when the woman said she couldn’t go any further. They were still about a mile away from the parking lot.

“As our crews were getting ready to make contact with the patient, we got an update that she’d stopped breathing and no longer had a heartbeat,” Subervi said.

Firefighters say as they initiated a technical rescue to hoist the woman off the trail, her friends began performing CPR.

Crews rushed her to the hospital, where she later died.

It serves as another tragic reminder of just how dangerous the heat can be.

On Saturday, 25-year-old Anthony Quatela died while hiking the Peralta Trail at the Superstition Wilderness, authorities said.

Still, firefighters know that won’t stop everyone from hitting the trails despite it being a dangerously hot day.

Even this afternoon, groups of hikers were still heading up Camelback Mountain in Phoenix.

“We want a little challenge,” said hiker Chian Ma. “We want to test our bodies.”

Ma and his hiking buddies were prepared with water and other items to help them stay cool, but according to fire crews, so was the mountain biker.

Firefighters say her body was still no match for the extreme heat.

“In general, if you don't have to be out here, don't be out here,” Subervi said.

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