NEED TO KNOW
- Officials said a funeral home worker has died after a burial vault fell on top of him at his job in Dallas
- The man sustained serious injuries to his lower body and later died at the hospital
- The identity of the man who died has not been made public
A man has died after being crushed by a burial vault while working at a Dallas funeral home.
Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said the incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time on Monday, Oct. 20, at Restland Funeral Home on Greenville Avenue, according to NBC affiliate KXAS and FOX affiliate KDFW.
Fire crews who arrived at the scene found that the worker had been pinned from the waist down by a burial vault — which is believed to have fallen on the individual.
Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said the crew on the first fire truck to arrive at the scene lifted the vault off the man, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The crew used spreaders, which are used to open vehicles after accidents and sometimes referred to as the “jaws of life,” and air bags to lift the vault, Evans explained.
After the man was freed, he was taken to a hospital with serious injuries to his lower body, according to KXAS and The Dallas Morning News. He later died.
Authorities have not publicly identified the man who died, and it is unclear what led to the incident at this time.
Dallas Fire-Rescue and Restland Funeral Home did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
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Burial vaults are typically made of concrete and act as protective containers for caskets and coffins, according to The Dallas Morning News. They can also be made of plastic or steel.
Some burial vaults can weigh more than 2,000 lbs., according to vault manufacturer Trigard.
