Yellowknife (Mar 24/06) - A man collapsed and died inside the post office Wednesday, the second such public incident in less than a week.

Yellowknife RCMP confirmed that a 61-year-old man has died, apparently of natural causes.

His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Const. Keith Kowalchuk said the man collapsed inside the post office lobby around 8:30 a.m., and employees attempted CPR before the ambulance arrived.

Percy Kinney, NWT chief coroner, said an autopsy is pending on the man, who was pronounced dead at Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Generally, sudden deaths are common, Kinney said, adding that a coroner will look for significant medical history that may indicate previous illness.

“The most sudden and unexpected death is from people just dying,” Kinney said.

Kinney said the most common cause of natural death is from coronary artery disease. “The most common cause of natural death tends to occur in people that are older and who has a naturally occurring long-standing health condition,” Kinney said.

Representatives from Canada Post declined to comment on the death.

Last Sunday, a 26-year-old Lutsel K’e man collapsed while shopping at Wal-Mart. He was later pronounced dead at Stanton Territorial Hospital.