Crematorium fire after 800lb body created flames that caused the ceiling to catch fire

• The fire at Southside Cremation Services started just after noon as workers had started to cremate the over-sized corpse
• The body was so obese that as the body fat came off it went straight up the smokesack and the flames hit the roof
• It took local fire crews three minutes to get the blaze under control
• No one was harmed and later on the Wednesday afternoon the cremation of the 800 pound body was completed 

By

David Mccormack for MailOnline

Published:
13:34 GMT, 9 October 2014

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Updated:
14:13 GMT, 9 October 2014

An 800 pound body caused a crematorium in Richmond, Virginia, to catch fire on Wednesday afternoon after the smokestack overheated setting the roof ablaze.

The fire at Southside Cremation Services started just after noon as workers had started to cremate the over-sized corpse.

According to manager Jerry Hendrix Sr., the large amount of fat on the body created excessive heat and oil once the cremation process had started.

Neighbors could see the smoke billowing from the smokestack around noon.

‘The body was so obese that the actual body fat came off and went straight up the sack and hit the roof material, the rubber roof we have up there and that’s what made it go up like it did…It was no negligence involved in it,’ he told NBC12.

Richmond and Henrico County fire crews were called and the blaze was under control with half an hour, according to the Henrico County Division of Fire.

‘My guys, we did all we could. Once it started, the grease hit the roof and started the fire, the only thing we could do is dial 911 and get the fire department here,’ Hendrix said.

Three people were inside of the plant at the time of the fire. All were able to get out unharmed.

There were also three bodies on site at the time of the fire, but the manager says none were damaged in the process.

Later on Wednesday afternoon the crematorium received the go-ahead to resume cremating the body. The family was not present during the cremation, Hendrix said.

The business will be closed for a few days to repair damage to the roof and furnace.

He said the facility is known across Virginia for handling large people.