A recent inquest revealed that a tragic incident occurred at the East of England Co-op Funeral Services branch in Swaffham, Norfolk, where an employee, Sally Blundell, 58, was discovered deceased under distressing circumstances by a colleague. The discovery was prompted by concerns raised by a family who had a scheduled appointment at the funeral parlour but found it unattended. The colleague, Stephen Kemp from a nearby branch, alerted the authorities after finding Mrs. Blundell trapped in a scissor lift used for moving caskets in and out of a fridge at the funeral home.
The local police officer, Luke Heffer, detailed the distressing scene, indicating that Mrs. Blundell was found incapacitated in the scissor lift, with her body wedged in an unfortunate position. The coroner, Yvonne Blake, officially attributed Mrs. Blundell’s cause of death to chest injuries caused by external pressure.
Further revelations from the inquest highlighted the absence of CCTV coverage in sensitive areas of the funeral parlour, where Mrs. Blundell was discovered. The investigation also noted potential issues with the scissor lift’s release mechanism, as identified by specialist inspector Jonathan Wright, suggesting possible malfunctions that could lead to such tragic accidents.
The inquest is ongoing, with a jury overseeing the proceedings to ascertain the full details surrounding this unfortunate event. The family of Mrs. Blundell has expressed concerns about her working conditions, highlighting the importance of workplace safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
