A funeral director has cleared up some of our most common irrational fears after revealing what really happens during the cremation process.
Otter Valley Funerals, based in Budleigh Salterton, England, has taken to TikTok to share a video (@otterfunerals) of the cremation process taking place.
Don't worry, the whole '90 minute process' wasn't captured on camera, as funeral director Simon Savage has explained in a 60-second clip what actually goes down when a coffin is 'being charged into a cremator'.
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"This is something that I said I would do so that people could see a single cremation chamber," he said.
"They could see that the coffin is charged complete with the deceased person in it with the handle still on it.
"I have permission to do this, but I thought it would be a really good opportunity to myth bust. So thank you, Nick.
"This is what happens as a crematorium. A single chamber, coffin complete. And it is as simple as that."
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Over in the comments, people had plenty of questions, as one person asked: "What does it look like ‘finished’? When the door reopens?"
The admin of Otter Valley Funerals replied: "Without being crass it’s just a pile of bones."
Another asked: "You definitely do one last check to check the person inside is definitely deceased? (An irrational fear I have)."
New fear unlocked.
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The admin replied: "The funeral director will do one last check before the coffin is closed to ensure the ID bracelet matches the nameplate on the coffin. The crematorium then trust the nameplate."
"Does it smell while being cremated?" a third question read.
To which they responded: "Nope no smell. The extraction system is incredible."
While a fourth penned: "Another thing I’ve always wanted to know are your ashes mixed in with other peoples ashes?"
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This would be seriously grim.
Thankfully, the funeral director clarified: "Nope, as you can see it is a single coffin being cremated and the chamber is emptied before the next one so you only get one complete set of ashes."
One last question read: "Hi can a body go in without the coffin I only want my husband back not the ashes of the coffin and plastic thank you."
Otter Valley Funerals said: "The absolute minimum requirement would be a shroud on a charging board.
"The ashes are 98 percent calcium (bone) as the rest burns away to nothing at such a high temperature and the metal is removed after."
Anish Vij