Clown at Thanksgiving parade collapses, dies

NEW YORK — A clown suffered a fatal collapse in front of spectators at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Sixty-seven-year-old Robert Blasetti went into cardiac arrest as he made balloon animals at Sixth Avenue and West 39th Street on Thursday. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Spokesman Orlando Veras said Macy’s was “saddened to report” that a parade marcher had suffered a medical emergency. He declined to say whether the man was a Macy’s employee.

Also, a civilian New York Police Department worker also became fatally ill during the parade. He suffered an apparent heart attack while hooking up a vehicle to be towed off the parade route at West 57th Street and Sixth Avenue. He also was pronounced dead at a hospital.