Dubai: A man in his 40s died in a freak accident in Brazil after falling into his father's grave when the tombstone structure he was sitting on collapsed beneath his weight.
The man had gone to a cemetery to attend the funeral of a friend who had died in a road accident the previous day. While there, he decided to visit his father's grave in the same cemetery.
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He sat on top of the grave's stone covering, but the structure gave way, sending him into the burial chamber below.
Other visitors rushed to help after hearing a loud crash and called an ambulance when they realised what had happened. However, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident occurred on Wednesday, October 21, at São José Municipal Cemetery in Linhares, in the northern part of Brazil's Espírito Santo state, about 400 miles north of Rio de Janeiro, according to Britain's Metro newspaper.
Nazaré Bravin, a cemetery worker, recounted that the man had arrived on a motorcycle and asked where his friend's burial would take place.
He then parked his motorcycle and walked towards his father's grave, where the fatal accident occurred.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
Linhares City Council expressed regret over the incident and extended condolences to the man's family and friends.
In a statement, the council also urged visitors to exercise caution in cemeteries, particularly with All Souls' Day approaching, when municipal burial grounds are expected to experience an increase in visitors.
The council clarified that it is responsible for managing public areas within cemeteries, including cleaning and maintenance.
However, the cleaning, washing and upkeep of individual graves and tombs remain the responsibility of families.