NORTH TORAJA REGENCY, Indonesia — A man died after his mother’s coffin fell from a funeral tower and crushed him during the service, according to the Guardian.
Samen Kondorura, 40, died Friday when pallbearers lost their footing while carrying the coffin up a bamboo ladder.
The group was trying to hoist the coffin onto a lakkian, an ornately carved tower, for traditional funeral rites.
Onlookers rushed to Kondorura’s aid after the accident but he died later at the hospital, according to NDTV.
Police said the ladder fell because it was not properly reinforced.
The family declined to press charges.