Fire Destroys Crematory At Colma Cemetary
COLMA (CBS SF) - A three-alarm fire destroyed a crematory in Colma Wednesday morning, a fire chief said.
Crews responded to a report of a fire at the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, located at 1370 El Camino Real, at about 9:30 a.m., Colma Fire Protection District Chief Geoffrey Balton said.
The response grew to three alarms because "we wanted to have the personnel to protect the chapel," Balton said.
The chapel was established in the late 1800s, according to the Cypress Lawn website. The crematory is attached to the back of the chapel.
Balton said there were two bodies in the crematory scheduled for cremation when the fire started. Both bodies were still intact after firefighters doused the blaze, he said.
It is not yet known what caused the fire, but Balton said it appears to be accidental.
The crematory was destroyed, Balton said. The chapel sustained some damage, but he was unaware of the extent.
No one was injured or displaced.
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