A Paarl undertaker is battling to explain how one of its hearses mysteriously burst into flames on Saturday.
Willy’s & Gallico Funeral Services said their driver was on his way to drop off a corpse at 8am.
They said that while the white vehicle and coffin were totally destroyed by fire, the driver and the body of the deceased were unharmed.
Incidentally, Willy’s & Gallico is the same company that transported the body of slain gang boss Ernie ‘Lastig’ Solomon to his funeral in Hawston at 10am the same day.
The company said: “The incident occurred whilst one of our experienced drivers, Brandon Fortuin, was on his way to drop a body of a deceased at one of our loyal families to pay their final respects. The family still had the opportunity to fully view the body, in order to prove this.
“Willy’s & Gallico Funeral Services would like to convey our deepest sympathy to the family and can ensure the community that we made immediate alternative arrangements to still ensure the proper burial of the deceased with the necessary, empathy, sympathy and respect as we always do. (sic)”
The funeral service said the cause of this “inexplicable incident” is unknown and “beyond human control”.
“We would also like to ensure and guarantee our community that Willy’s & Gallico Funeral Services’ vehicle insurance company will investigate.
“We would also like to ensure you that all our vehicles are being serviced on regularly intervals to avoid such tragedies, but as said some things will always be beyond human control. (sic) ”
Drakenstein municipality spokesperson Riana Geldenhuys said firefighters were able to save the corpse from the burning coffin.
“Drakenstein municipality’s fire services responded to a fire call involving a hearse at 8.14am ... in Broadway Street in Paarl East,” she said.
“When the firefighting vehicle and firefighters arrived on the scene they discovered that the hearse, with a body of a deceased person in a coffin inside, was on fire. They went on to extinguish the fire as speedily as possible.”
Geldenhuys said the hearse was severely damaged in the fire.