Distraught family members were seen excavating the soil with shovels after cemetery workers initially dug the grave too short, sparking farcical scenes during the service
Mourners were forced to dig a grave for their loved one after bungling cemetery workers made it too short. Family members first had to remove the coffin in order to make the grave plot longer and deeper so it could fit properly.
Distraught family members were seen excavating the soil with shovels – as onlookers branded the workers’ original efforts “disrespectful”. Mourners were heard saying “this can’t be happening” and “this lacks respect”.
One man said: “On top of already being heartbroken, we have to start digging here.” Another called it “disrespectful to the whole family” and that the cemetery provided a “s*** service”.
A video of the fiasco went viral on TikTok with nearly 3m views, as reported by What’s The Jam.
After several minutes of frantic digging, the grieving attendees placed the casket into the expanded grave and paid their respects to the deceased.
According to the family, the grave failed to meet the minimum depth of two metres.
The bizarre scenes were filmed at Godoy Cruz Cemetery in the city of Godoy Cruz in north-western Argentina.
In response, a council spokesperson maintained that the plot met the required dimensions.
They insisted that the workers were in contact with the funeral company regarding the coffin size and its arrival.
The family was informed that dimensions were correct but they chose to enlarge it themselves, the spokesperson claimed.
However, they confirmed that they have opened an investigation and will interview the workers responsible, as well as review the footage before making a final decision.
They also stated that this is the first time an incident of this nature has occurred at the cemetery. It’s unclear if the family intends to file an official complaint.
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