An undertaker was tragically crushed to death by a defective coffin-lifting machine at a funeral parlour, a coroner's inquest has determined. Sally Blundell, aged 58, was found trapped beneath the scissor lift of a mortuary trolley after it descended unexpectedly at a branch of the East of England Co-op Funeral Services in Swaffham, Norfolk.
Details of the Incident
Ms Blundell had been working alone at the branch on 1 December 2023 when the fatal accident occurred. Her body was discovered after a member of the public reported that no staff were present for an 11am appointment to view a deceased relative. The individual attempted to contact the celebrant she had been dealing with, and a message was relayed to another branch. A colleague from the Dereham branch then attended the scene and found Ms Blundell deceased.
Inquest Findings
Jurors at the Norwich inquest returned a conclusion of accidental death. They recorded that Ms Blundell was last seen on CCTV at the funeral parlour at 9.46am and was found dead at 12.06pm. The inquest heard that there are no CCTV cameras in sensitive areas of the funeral parlour, where bodies are stored.
Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake noted that it was unclear why Ms Blundell had "inserted herself" into the device's frame, though her glasses were found on the floor nearby. The medical cause of death for Ms Blundell, of Great Cressingham, was recorded as "contusion and compression of the chest by an external object".
Equipment Fault Identified
Ms Blake informed jurors that expert evidence presented to the inquest indicated a fault with the hydraulic scissor lift mortuary trolley. She stated the fault caused the trolley to "descend unexpectedly".
Preventative Measures
Ms Blake revealed she is considering writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the equipment's manufacturer, A R Twigg and Son, regarding her concerns. The East of England Co-op confirmed through barrister Dominic Kay that the chain no longer uses this specific type of trolley.
This incident highlights significant safety issues in funeral service operations, prompting calls for improved equipment maintenance and monitoring protocols to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
