Pennsylvania sinkhole threatens graves at historic cemetery

[alp227]

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim's office normally responds to calls of motor vehicle accidents, homicides or other incidents that require determination of a cause of death. Thursday brought something totally unexpected.

A large sinkhole spread into a historic cemetery in Allentown, Pennsylvania, prompting officials to get a court order to allow exhumations of graves if Grim deems such action necessary.

About 60 graves in Union and West End Cemetery are threatened and were roped off, Grim told CNN.

Many of the burials were in the 1880s, with at least one as far back as 1858.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/29/us/pennsylvania-sinkhole/index.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The coroner's name is Grim?

Perfect.

[enlightenment]

2. Just read an article about that -

people who have names that match their work. Can't recall where it was (da*n it) . . . the Daily Fail, I think.

I hope they manage to salvage the graves - or at least the tombstones.

[bluedigger]

3. I think I would just let them go.

As someone who has participated in a large scale cemetery exhumation, I can't imagine trying to work in unstable soils while doing it. It sounds dangerous, as well as technically difficult. All things being equal, if the earth wants to swallow the graves, let it.