An undertaker crushed to death was discovered at a funeral parlour in Swaffham, Norfolk after a scissor lift used for moving bodies fell on her, an inquest has heard. Sally Blundell, 58, was found beneath the hydraulic equipment at the East of England Co-op Funeral Services branch on December 1, 2023.
Mrs Blundell had been working alone in the branch’s morgue when the accident occurred. She was discovered by colleagues following concern from a grieving family whose appointment at the funeral parlour found no staff present. Stephen Kemp, a funeral manager at the Dereham branch, described calling emergency services after remote CCTV checks showed her absence.
Police officer Luke Heffer said the back room of the funeral parlour contained a large fridge and a scissor lift designed to lift caskets in and out of the refrigeration unit. Mrs Blundell was found trapped across the lift, with the upper part of her body caught inside its frame. The coroner, Yvonne Blake, confirmed her cause of death as contusion and compression of the chest by an external object.
Dawn Salisbury, a relative visiting the funeral parlour for an 11am appointment, became concerned when no staff were present. She said that after waiting about ten minutes, she attempted to call the branch and, failing that, contacted her celebrant. A message was passed to another branch, prompting a check on CCTV.
Mr Kemp explained that security staff monitored the cameras remotely and saw the visitors seated in reception and Mrs Blundell’s car in the car park, but there was no sign of her inside the building. The inquest heard that CCTV is not installed in areas where bodies are stored. Upon arriving at the branch just after midday, Mr Kemp discovered that the hydraulic hoist had fallen on Mrs Blundell, crushing her chest. He said it was immediately apparent that she had already died.
Mrs Blundell’s daughter, Lucy Blundell, stated that her mother had previously expressed concerns about working alone. She described her mother as widely respected among colleagues and having a large network of friends. The coroner confirmed that Mrs Blundell was last seen on CCTV at 9.46am on December 1, leaving the branch after taking a work call.
The inquest with a jury continues as authorities examine the circumstances around the accident and workplace safety at funeral parlours.
