Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Funeral fire

INDIANAPOLIS -- Saying they wanted to spare families even more pain, two Indianapolis morticians went back inside their burning funeral home to try to save bodies.

The pair rolled out caskets containing bodies as firefighters aimed their hoses at flames at the rear of the funeral home. They managed to retrieve three bodies before the flames became too intense for them to go inside.

After the fired died down they returned for the seven remaining bodies. None was damaged. Neighbours stepped in to help the owner and families, whose loved ones' remains were inside the building.

"You had neighbours who came out to help the families, the owner and firefighters with all the comfort that we needed," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Gregg Harris.

The owner of the funeral home, which had become a symbol of neighborhood revitalization on Indianapolis' east side, said he plans to rebuild after Saturday's fire.

The two-alarm fire caused the roof to collapse. Damage to the funeral home was estimated at $500,000. No one was injured.

The rescued bodies will be cremated on Friday.

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