A funeral home worker in Texas has died after being crushed by a heavy burial vault that fell on him, authorities said. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on Monday at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville Avenue in Dallas.
Dallas Fire-Rescue crews found the man pinned from the waist down by the vault, which is believed to have fallen on top of him. Burial vaults are protective containers, typically made of metal or concrete, that enclose caskets and coffins to prevent graves from sinking. According to manufacturer Trigard, most weigh between 2,100 and 2,400 pounds.
Firefighters used spreaders—often called the “jaws of life”—and airbags to lift the vault and free the worker, said Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans. The man was taken to a nearby hospital with serious lower body injuries but later died, fire officials confirmed just after 5 p.m. Monday.
Restland Funeral Home expressed sadness in a statement, saying, “We are saddened by the loss of our long-standing valued employee. We are cooperating with the authorities to determine the cause. His family and his fellow Restland employees need our support and we ask that we all give them space and time to grieve.”
Authorities have not released the man’s identity or details about what led to the accident. It is unclear how far the vault fell before crushing the worker. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
