hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
An undertaker was found crushed to death by a piece of equipment used to move bodies from a fridge in the back room of a funeral parlour, an inquest heard.
Funeral administrator Sally Blundell, 58, had been working alone at the East of England Co-op Funeral Services branch in Swaffham, Norfolk when she was found 'trapped' in the scissor lift that was 'used to lift caskets in and out of the fridge'.
The grandmother was discovered by a colleague from another branch, who had attended after concerns were raised by a family who had a pre-arranged appointment at the funeral parlour but found no staff there.
Police officer Luke Heffer told the court Ms Blundell was found in the back room of the parlour where she was 'trapped in the scissor lift', lying across a bar and with the upper part of her body inside the frame.
Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake said Mrs Blundell's medical cause of death was recorded as 'contusion and compression of the chest by an external object'.
Dawn Salisbury, who had made arrangements to see a deceased relative, became concerned when there were no staff at the funeral parlour for her 11am appointment.
The lady in the picture
In a statement read to the Norwich inquest, she said that 'after about 10 minutes I decided to ring the landline number for that branch'.
When she could not hear a phone ringing within the branch, she tried calling the celebrant she had been dealing with and a message was passed to another branch.
Mr Kemp, a funeral manager at the Dereham branch of East of England Co-op Funeral Services, said he asked security to remotely check CCTV cameras at the Swaffham branch.
He said they could see two ladies sat in the reception area, who had attended the 11am appointment, and Mrs Blundell's car in the car park, but no sign of her.
The inquest heard there are no CCTV cameras in sensitive areas of the funeral parlour where bodies are kept.
Mr Kemp went to the Swaffham branch and discovered Mrs Blundell was dead.
In a statement, he said that a 'hydraulic hoist had come down on her body and was crushing her over the chest area'.
He said it was 'apparent to me she was already dead'.
Undertaker crushed to death by 'equipment used to move bodies'
Funeral administrator Sally Blundell, 58, had been working alone at the East of England Co-op Funeral Services branch in Swaffham, Norfolk when she was found 'trapped' in the scissor lift that was 'used to lift caskets in and out of the fridge'.
The grandmother was discovered by a colleague from another branch, who had attended after concerns were raised by a family who had a pre-arranged appointment at the funeral parlour but found no staff there.
Police officer Luke Heffer told the court Ms Blundell was found in the back room of the parlour where she was 'trapped in the scissor lift', lying across a bar and with the upper part of her body inside the frame.
Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake said Mrs Blundell's medical cause of death was recorded as 'contusion and compression of the chest by an external object'.
Dawn Salisbury, who had made arrangements to see a deceased relative, became concerned when there were no staff at the funeral parlour for her 11am appointment.
The lady in the picture
In a statement read to the Norwich inquest, she said that 'after about 10 minutes I decided to ring the landline number for that branch'.
When she could not hear a phone ringing within the branch, she tried calling the celebrant she had been dealing with and a message was passed to another branch.
Mr Kemp, a funeral manager at the Dereham branch of East of England Co-op Funeral Services, said he asked security to remotely check CCTV cameras at the Swaffham branch.
He said they could see two ladies sat in the reception area, who had attended the 11am appointment, and Mrs Blundell's car in the car park, but no sign of her.
The inquest heard there are no CCTV cameras in sensitive areas of the funeral parlour where bodies are kept.
Mr Kemp went to the Swaffham branch and discovered Mrs Blundell was dead.
In a statement, he said that a 'hydraulic hoist had come down on her body and was crushing her over the chest area'.
He said it was 'apparent to me she was already dead'.
Undertaker crushed to death by 'equipment used to move bodies'
fortunately I was there so i could take him immediately to the hospital ... I've never seen anyone look so green.. he really looked sick !
