A funeral ceremony in Philadelphia took a devastating turn when a burial platform collapsed, plunging several mourners — including the son of the deceased — into an open grave.
The tragic incident occurred during the final rites of Benjamin Aviles, who died in late March. As pallbearers worked to lower his casket into the grave, the platform beneath them gave way without warning, causing the coffin and multiple family members to fall into the burial pit.
Among those who fell was Aviles’ son, who was pinned beneath the casket with his face pressed into the mud, according to eyewitnesses. The scene quickly turned into chaos, with screams erupting as mourners rushed to help those trapped.
Emergency responders were called to the cemetery and helped pull out those who had fallen. Several pallbearers sustained injuries, including bruises and cuts to their legs, hands, and backs.
The mishap has left the grieving family in deeper sorrow, with what was meant to be a moment of closure now overshadowed by shock and trauma. Authorities are yet to comment on whether an investigation will be launched into the structural failure of the burial platform.
