Clallam County man dies trying to revive wife with CPR

A man apparently trying to save his wife with CPR collapsed himself, fell on top of her and died Wednesday night in the couple's home in the town of Joyce on the Olympic Peninsula.

Rescuers broke into the home and tried to revive both the man, 60, and his wife, 59, but both died.

Firefighters responded to a 911 call of a CPR in progress about 9:45 p.m. at a home one mile east of Joyce, about 16 miles west of Port Angeles, according to Alex Baker, chief of Clallam County Fire District 4.

The husband called 911 and told the dispatcher that his wife had collapsed, wasn't breathing and had no pulse. He also said he was starting CPR.

With the dispatcher still on the phone, the call went silent, said Jim Borte, spokesman with the Clallam County Sheriff's Office.

When the Fire Department and a member of the Lower Elwha Tribal Police arrived, the house was dark and locked, but a television was on in a back room, Baker said.

Firefighters tried unsuccessfully to open the door. They went to the back door, which was also locked, and saw the couple on the floor.

Rescuers, including police, broke in and tried to revive the couple. Baker said firefighters attempted CPR on the couple for 40 minutes without success.

He said the man was slumped over the woman when firefighters entered the home, indicating the man had been trying to perform CPR on his wife.

"This was just a tragic event," Baker said.

The couple's names have not been released, but Leonard Pierce, owner of the Joyce General Store, said they had just moved to Joyce and built a home.

"It's terrible," he said.