Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Philadelphia funeral turns chaotic after pallbearers fall into grave with casket
12News Arizona ^ | April 9, 2025 | Melissa Hernandez De La Cruz

Posted on 04/09/2025 11:21:53 AM PDT by fidelis

WASHINGTON — A group of pallbearers carrying a loved one's casket fell into a grave after a platform collapsed at a Philadelphia cemetery.

Video from the funeral shows the group of men carry the casket from an SUV to the grave. As the pallbearers begin to lower the casket, the platform above the burial plot gives out and plunges them into the grave.

The scene unfolded on Friday at the Greenmount Cemetery in Philadelphia as family and friends mourned the loss of Benjamin Aviles, WPVI reported.

"It was just a horrible incident that happened at a bad moment," Aviles' stepdaughter Maribelle Rodriguez told WPVI.

The pallbearers suffered injuries on their legs, hands and back, Rodriguez said to the local outlet.

Aviles' son was among the pallbearers and was knocked out following the incident.

"The casket lay on top of him, and he was out like a light with his face in the mud," Rodriguez described to WPVI.

Aviles' stepdaughter said she blames the cemetery, and the funeral home involved in the incident, citing that the platform was "wobbly" and the wood was "all wet and soaked."

An obituary posted by the funeral home shows Aviles died on March 21 at age 61 due to complications related to heart issues.

"I think they should apologize," Rodriguez said to the Philadelphia outlet. "There should be some reimbursement, being that the ceremony was interrupted; nothing was done properly."

WPVI reported that on Monday some of the boards and broken wood could still be seen at the burial site.


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: funniesthomevideos; pallbearers; pennsylvania; philadelphia
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 next last
To: Rennes Templar
With all the dust and dirt, when they climbed out they were probably all coffin.

They all had at least one foot in the grave.
21 posted on 04/09/2025 11:46:33 AM PDT by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

In the Roger Corman horror film Tales of Terror (1962) with Peter Lorre, Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone, two crooked undertakers save money by secretly dumping the each of the corpses in a pit in the woods and then re-using the casket for the next funeral’s deceased.

They would be very upset about the splintered boards described.

Unusual astrological fact. These are all Geminis: Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, Donald Trump and myself. Used to getting our way.


22 posted on 04/09/2025 11:46:38 AM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chajin
Today, it seems like a horrible tragedy. Ten years from now, the participants might be able to laugh about it."

I was thinking the same thing.

"Pass me a beer, bruh. Hey, remember that time we all fell in Uncle Bennie's grave at his funeral? Ha Ha! You should have seen your face, man!

23 posted on 04/09/2025 11:46:59 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Lurker
This is why I insist on a Viking funeral.

No, nothing could possibly go wrong there...


24 posted on 04/09/2025 11:50:30 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /Sarc tag really necessary?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

The deceased let his friends and family down one last time.


25 posted on 04/09/2025 11:52:49 AM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Sometimes There Is No Lesser Of Two Evils)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

They can say that they had one foot in the grave.


26 posted on 04/09/2025 11:53:08 AM PDT by I want the USA back (America is once again GREAT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar; The Spirit Of Allegiance; SunkenCiv; ProtectOurFreedom
What did they use for the platform, banana peels?

A group of pallbearers carrying a loved one's casket fell into a grave

In any... case, that's quite the group discount. Bury one get six free.

If they had waited until tombmorrow, it would have been too late, but soma tarry.

27 posted on 04/09/2025 11:59:18 AM PDT by Ezekiel (🆘️ "Come fly with US". 🔴 Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with MARS ♂️, aka every man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Qwapisking

I’ve done a few military funeral honors at that cemetery. The problem is the ground is very rocky, so the grave diggers sometimes have to excavate large holes, much larger than normally needed for a casket. The platforms they build over the holes for the ceremony are shaky at best. A few times I felt like I was walking a plank. I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often.


28 posted on 04/09/2025 12:04:23 PM PDT by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

just damn!!...


29 posted on 04/09/2025 12:07:52 PM PDT by sit-rep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Qwapisking

even if, I definitely heard the underboards crack real good. someone left out a cross member or 2...


30 posted on 04/09/2025 12:09:54 PM PDT by sit-rep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Franklin

lol... you get The Best Award IMHO... and I havent scrolled past you yet!!


31 posted on 04/09/2025 12:11:29 PM PDT by sit-rep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Rennes Templar

Badda-Boom!!


32 posted on 04/09/2025 12:12:39 PM PDT by sit-rep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: fidelis
Four out of the six were large guys. Couple of them really big


33 posted on 04/09/2025 12:14:24 PM PDT by Pollard (Zone 6b)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

To be fair, they were carrying a lot of dead weight

Still. I’m apall’ed


34 posted on 04/09/2025 12:22:43 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://youtu.be/wH-pk2vZG2M)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Magnum44

That was a great opening gambit!


35 posted on 04/09/2025 12:23:25 PM PDT by MissNomer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

There was a young fellow named Hall
Who fell in the spring in the fall.
‘Twould have been a sad thing
Had he died in the spring,
But he didn’t, he died in the fall.


36 posted on 04/09/2025 12:33:27 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

“I’m takin’ y’all with me” /s


37 posted on 04/09/2025 12:45:55 PM PDT by Lean-Right (Eat More Moose)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lean-Right

I will bury you!

And you. And you, And you over there.


38 posted on 04/09/2025 12:57:36 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Nobody elected Elon Musk? Well nobody elected the Deep State either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: frank ballenger

And Jill St. John was stunning.


39 posted on 04/09/2025 1:11:22 PM PDT by Migraine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: fidelis

Cutting out the middle man.


40 posted on 04/09/2025 1:11:59 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson