FORT SMITH, Ark. (Legal Newsline) — A man is suing an Arkansas funeral home after an employee allegedly nearly caused his brother's casket and remains to catch on fire during the burial.
Jonathan Sanchez filed a complaint April 11 in Sebastian County Circuit Court against Temple Vault Inc. and Lewis Funeral Chapel Inc., doing business as Lewis-Roberts Funeral Chapel, alleging breach of contract and other claims.
According to Sanchez's complaint, his brother Gustavo Tinajero committed suicide in his home in Fort Smith on Oct. 8, 2022. Sanchez alleges that upon arriving at the cemetery to bury his brother, a Temple Vault employee was smoking a cigarette over his brother's casket.
He further alleges the employee continued to smoke while operating the crane to lower his brother's remains when ashes fell into the hydraulic fluid and caused the crane and the vault holding his brother's casket to catch on fire. Sanchez alleges that while he and other attendees attempted to hold the vault steady so his brother's remains were not exposed, he crushed his finger.
He claims the defendants disregarded the sanctity of his brother's burial process and that their employee negligently operated the crane which had no fire extinguisher as required by OSHA.
Sanchez seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Jacqueline Mock of Mock Legal Solutions PLC in Fort Smith.