Several people have been treated for heat exhaustion as they attended a rally for US presidential hopeful Donald Trump in the US state of Arizona on Thursday.
Blistering conditions outside the event's venue, the Dream City Church in Phoenix, led to eleven people being transported to hospital for treatment, The Hill reported.
Temperatures rocketed to 43.8C on Thursday, equalling the city's record high set in 2016.
Images of the scene shared on social media showed several people collapsing as they queued to get in. Many were attended to by emergency responders and loaded into ambulances.
Credit: Jacob Stoll via REUTERS
“Another one being carted out on a stretcher at Trump rally … this marks at least six people from what we can likely assume is the heat,” ABC15 reporter Ben Brown posted on X.
President Trump referenced the weather conditions in his opening remarks, stating that he was wearing a yellow tie because it "represents the sun".
"It's nice and sunny," Trump said. "We've got thousands of people outside that didn't get in...so I don't know if they're gonna be so thrilled."
Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic /USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters
The event was organised by youth-oriented conservative group 'Turning Point Action'.
This is the second time Trump has visited the non-denominational Dream City Church, which is led by senior pastor Luke Barnett.
Pastor Barnett hit the headlines in 2020 when he was almost killed after being struck by a four-tonne boulder while hiking with his daughter.
The enormous rock missed his head by a matter of inches.
"It's just the grace of God that somehow that boulder went right over me and didn't hit my skull," pastor Barnett said at the time.
He suffered serious injuries in the incident including three broken ribs, a broken forearm and a broken hip. He also required 40 stitches to his right hand.
