Michigan resident, Marvin Schur, 93, froze to death after his electricity was restricted

A 93-year-old retired worker froze to death in his home shortly after a municipal power company restricted electricity usage in his home because of unpaid bills. The body of Marvin Shur was discovered by neighbors on January 17 in Bay City, Michigan,  about a 100 miles northwest of Detroit. A medical examiner said the retired pattern maker died a "slow, painful death" from hypothermia in his home. Neighbors said the furnace was not running and there was ice on the windows. 

City Manager Robert Belleman said the elderly man owed Bay City Electric Light & Power more than $1,000. The city placed a "limiter" device the home January 13 [Show shots of limiter device] even as outside temperatures fell below zero. If a homeowner uses more power than alloted all electricity is shut off until the homeowner resets the device. Neighbors said Schur struggled to hear and may have suffered from dementia. City officials acknowledged no one had contacted Schur  to explain how the limiter functioned. 

Residents were angered by the city manager's suggestion that they failed to look after their neighbor. Many denounced the city's callousness during a meeting of the municipal power company, which voted to increase electricity rates. Letters of protest from throughout the US and other countries have flooded into city offices. A funeral for Schur is being held today in Bay City. 

A WSWS reporting team spoke to residents in Bay City.

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[emmi360]

Well it seems like money was more important than human life to that electric company.

...What a world we live in.

[TheGodParticle]

Poor guy.