UPS driver Chris Begley dies days after falling ill amid heat

A longtime UPS driver died four days after he collapsed while delivering packages in sweltering Texas heat, according to the company and his union.

Chris Begley, a father of two who worked for the company for nearly 30 years, was working last week in the city of Farmersville in 100-degree temperatures when he informed his UPS managers that he wasn’t feeling well, the company and his union reportedly said.

Teamster Local Union 767 told the WFAA the dedicated worker, 57, collapsed inside a business while making a delivery.

Staff immediately went to check on Begley, making sure he had water and was resting in a “cool environment,” a UPS spokesperson told The Post.

The company also said staff offered Begley medical attention, but he declined it “multiple times,” the spokespersons said.

“He told us he had recovered and asked to be taken home,” the UPS spokesperson said, adding he had the rest of the day off.

He was also granted a few requested days off, with the company saying they were notified Sunday he was in the hospital and told Monday he was dead.

“We are saddened by the loss of our driver Christopher Begley and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” UPS said in a statement.

“We are cooperating with the authorities as they continue to investigate the cause of death. We train our people to recognize the symptoms of heat stress, and we respond immediately to any request for help.”

Union 767 President Dave Reeves told WFAA Begley, a married father of two, started working for UPS in 1995 and had an eye on retirement in the near future.

He believes Begley’s death was connected to the extreme heat, though a cause of death has not been confirmed. He’s also upset that Begley was not brought to the hospital and instead taken home.

“UPS needs to do a thorough investigation to provide his family some answers as to what happened on his final day with the company,” Reeves told the news station.

The Collin County Medical Examiner told USA Today the coroner was notified about Begley’s death, but did not conduct an autopsy. His family will likely decide if they want an autopsy done, the newspaper reported.

UPS trucks currently don’t have air conditioning, though they’re expected to be equipped with AC units by the start of 2024.