Denpasar mayor dies on court

Denpasar mayor dies on court

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Denpasar Mayor Col. I Komang Arsana died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack while playing tennis in his hometown of Amplapura, 80 kilometers east of here.

He was immediately rushed to nearby Karangasem General Hospital, but doctors there did not have the necessary facilities to help. The dying man was then dispatched to Sanglah Central General Hospital, the main hospital on the resort island.

"He arrived here at 11:20 a.m. We declared him dead on arrival (DOA) at 11:40," a staffer at the Sanglah's emergency unit said.

Witnesses said the 55-year-old mayor collapsed when he tried to return a serve from Karangasem Regent Col. I Ketut Mertha.

"It was around 8:30 a.m. when Pak Arsana suddenly looked unstable and then just collapsed," an eyewitness said.

Arsana was appointed Denpasar mayor in 1997.

Arsana is survived by his wife Ni Made Sri Soma Supadmi, 46, and two sons. (zen/emf)