Footage of a man operating a crematorium to turn a dead body into ashes has left many viewers wondering the same thing.
The question of what happens when we die is one that has long plagued humans, but while we can’t offer much insight from the deceased person’s point of view, we do at least know what happens to our bodies.
Some people choose to be buried, and others request to be turned into ashes which can then be scattered in places meaningful to them.
Many people choose to be cremated after death (Getty Stock Photo)
The actual process of how cremation works is a bit of a mystery to those outside the industry, which is probably why footage of the cremator in action attracted a lot of attention when it was shared on Reddit.
The video was posted with the caption ‘Removing a body from the crematorium’, and showed a male member of staff taking the ashes from the furnace before adding them into a funnel-like machine which deposited the remains into a small bag.
The bag was then placed into a small box, which was attached with a label.
Further details about what happens during cremation have been shared by The Cremation Society in the UK, which explains that coffin nameplates are checked by staff to ensure they have the correct identity of the remains before they are cremated.
However, despite the video offering some intriguing insights into exactly how the process works, it wasn’t so much what was happening in the video that people focused on, but what the operator was wearing while he did it.
In the clip, the man scooping the remains from the furnace was dressed smartly in a blue suit, crisp white shirt and tie, with no mask or gloves in sight.
He wouldn’t have looked out of place in an office business meeting or even at a wedding, and the juxtaposition of his smart suit compared to the morbid, potentially messy situation left viewers baffled.
Responding to the video on Reddit, one person wrote: “Put on a dust mask! And gloves!”
The operator at the crematorium was dressed in a smart suit (Reddit/u/reloadthewords)
Another added: “Doesn’t seem like something you should be doing in your Sunday best clothes.”
“Snappy suit but no…Mask and gloves?,” another commented.
Though the sight might be confusing, The Cremation Society has pointed out that cremation often happens ‘shortly after the cremation service’, suggesting those in charge of the crematorium will likely dress professionally in preparation for any encounters with the deceased person’s family.
Other videos taken in crematoriums show different operators wearing suits, suggesting it’s common practise.
UNILAD has reached out to The Cremation Society for further insight on the process.
