"Overly obese" body sparks fire at Ohio crematory
CINCINNATI -- The owner of a Cincinnati crematory says flames from the cremation of an "overly obese" body spread outside a furnace when the fire got too hot in what he describes as a "freak accident."
Firefighters put out the blaze Tuesday night at Hillside Chapel Crematory. No one was hurt.
Owner Don Catchen told local station WCPO-TV that fireproofing measures at the business limited the damage and the spread of the flames to one area, and no other bodies were affected.
"My operator was in the process of cremating remains and [the body] was overly obese and apparently it got a little hotter than the unit is supposed to get," Catchen told the station. "One of the cremation containers that we had close got caught on fire and that's what burnt."
CBS affiliate WKRC-TV reports the heat damaged a vent pipe, spreading flames onto the roof. Cardboard boxes near the furnace also caught fire.
Firefighters powered down the furnace and removed the boxes to put out the fire. The fire caused an estimated $30,000 in damage.