<p>Following recent eruption of Mt Ontake and the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-28/more-than-30-hikers-found-in-cardiac-arrest-on-volcano/5774752" rel="nofollow">sad news of over 30 people found in 'cardiac arrest'</a>, why would the eruption cause it?</p>

<p>My initial thought would be that the cause of death would normally be suffocation or burns from the hot ash. Is it to do with elements/compounds present in volcanic ash?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-29T00:42:29.200Z
That article doesn't give reasons, but shock or fear-induced excitement might trigger a heart attack in someone who was already prone to it. Likewise, dust, ash and toxic fumes in the air might cause breathing difficulties that could also lead to cardiac arrest.
naught101
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-29T06:42:20.530Z
Notice the terminology. They are "in cardiac arrest". They didn't "die from cardiac arrest". If I recall correctly, this is just the Japanese way of saying that someone is dead until an examination by an offical police doctor. After all, all dead people are "in cardiac arrest" by definition.
Gimelist
<volcanology><volcanic-hazard><volcanic-eruption>
Why would volcano eruption cause cardiac arrest?
Jerry
# Why would volcano eruption cause cardiac arrest?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-28)

Following recent eruption of Mt Ontake and the [sad news of over 30 people found in 'cardiac arrest'](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-28/more-than-30-hikers-found-in-cardiac-arrest-on-volcano/5774752), why would the eruption cause it?

My initial thought would be that the cause of death would normally be suffocation or burns from the hot ash. Is it to do with elements/compounds present in volcanic ash?

**Tags:** volcanology, volcanic-hazard, volcanic-eruption

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: That article doesn't give reasons, but shock or fear-induced excitement might trigger a heart attack in someone who was already prone to it. Likewise, dust, ash and toxic fumes in the air might cause breathing difficulties that could also lead to cardiac arrest.  
> **username_2**: Notice the terminology. They are "in cardiac arrest". They didn't "die from cardiac arrest". If I recall correctly, this is just the Japanese way of saying that someone is dead until an examination by an offical police doctor. After all, all dead people are "in cardiac arrest" by definition.  

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## 0 answers

