CREMATORIUM Part 1

CREMATORIUM

At the best of times even when one in jovial mood, under the influence, or inebriated it is difficult to think of the death of loved ones, let alone member of the family or his or her own death.  However, sooner or later all of us fellow bloggers and the rest of aspiring bloggers and reader have to make a decision about the burial or cremation of loved one or ones especially if that person is close family member.  Often this could happen equally when death is expected and when it is accidental and most remote. Equally often the question is burial underground in communal cemetery or cremation.  With cremation the question is whether one’s religious faith allows the practice.  

I once had the firsthand event of witnessing the cremation of an unknown deceased whose family must have made the decision to cremate him or her.

After the service and eulogies in the chapel the curtain is closed and the casket is rolled and directed by chain into one of the chamber in the funeral parlor normally 3 crematorium chambers. The furnace temperature in the chamber is between 1600 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (880 – 1000 degrees Centigrade). This temperature will melt most metals and but for certain major bones in the human body pulverize and turn the once human into ashes.  The process normally takes between 2 to 3 hours.  Several more hours are normally required before the cremated remains are handed over to the deceased family.

I expected the director of the funeral parlor to refuse my request to witness cremation but sensing that he may need a favour (probably legal) in return at some stage in the future he agreed to my request telling me a cremation was due in 15 minutes.  I made sign of cross on my face and nervously went behind the chapel to a little space with full view of casket being rolled through chains into a crematorium chamber.  I saw two men break and expose the casket as it dipped into the chamber. Witnessing a human body been incinerated with such high temperature is not a pleasant sight.  I prefer witnessing post mortem anytime.  However, what made the sight more memorable and the experience unforgettable is what happened some 20 minutes later. A massive explosion ripping off some of especially designed glass in the chamber and sending flames and other matters outside the chamber took place.  

I was not the only one bewildered by the explosion and the flame all of the crematorium employees and the staff, including the bewildered director (probably thinking I had something to do with the explosion) were in a panic and it took a while to bring the situation under control.  What had happened is the pacemaker which for years the deceased had relied upon instigate and control normal pulse and rhythm in his heart exploded.

YOU WILL HAVE TO AWAIT THE NEXT BLOG TO FIND OUT WHAT TOOK PLACE NEXT IN THIS FASCINATING EXPERIENCE.