A Texas funeral home worker died after being crushed under a heavy burial vault that fell on top of him, authorities said.
The tragic incident took place around 2 p.m. on Monday at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
Dallas Fire-Rescue crews found the man pinned from the waist down by the heavy burial vault, which is believed to have fallen on top of the worker, Fox 4 News reported.
Burial vaults are protective containers, typically made of metal or concrete, that enclose caskets and coffins to help prevent graves from sinking. Most can weigh between 2,100 pounds to 2,400 pounds, one burial vault manufacturer, Trigard, says on its website.
Firefighters used spreaders, which open vehicles after accidents and are often referred to as the “jaws of life,” and airbags to lift the vault – freeing the worker, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans told The Dallas Morning News.
After the man was freed, he was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries to his lower body.
Dallas fire officials confirmed just after 5 p.m. Monday that the man had died from those injuries.
Authorities have not publicly shared the man’s identity or provided any details about what led to the accident. It was also unclear how far the burial vault fell before crashing down on the worker.
Dallas Fire-Rescue and Restland Funeral Home did not immediately return requests for comment from The Independent.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by authorities.
