In South Africa, a vehicle which was transporting a coffin containing a body burst into flames on Saturday morning.

The car and coffin were destroyed in the intense blaze but the undertaker assured the family and police that the body was not damaged.

The hearse was en-route with the coffin to the family of the deceased for them to view their loved one.

According to Sowetan Live, Riana Geldenhuys the Drakenstein municipality spokesperson said the following: “Drakenstein municipality’s fire services responded to a fire call involving a hearse at 8.14am … in Broadway Street in Paarl East,” said Geldenhuys.

“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.”

Initial reports had said that the body had been damaged but this was later retracted according to Times Live.

Retracting an earlier statement that the body in the coffin was damaged, Geldenhuys said: “The undertaker has since confirmed to Drakenstein Municipality that this was not the case. The fire was intense and the coffin significantly damaged, but the undertaker has confirmed that the body did not suffer damage.

“The municipality apologises for any possible distress caused by our earlier report. The cause of the fire is unknown, and is being investigated by the SA Police Service.”

Watch Its Video Below!!

Hearse on fire: Paarl, Western Cape. There was a body inside: it was en-route to be viewed by the family. pic.twitter.com/p6zyBpxWbO

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) December 5, 2020