Local cemetery's mausoleum closed due to leakage of bodily fluids

JACKSON, TN (WNBJ) - A local cemetery is experiencing issues with its burial mausoleum.

The Highland Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Jackson is under investigation after reports of strong odors from their mausoleum. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance provided 39 News with documents related to their suspension.

Highland Memorial Gardens is registered by the state of Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Burial Services Program.

According to their documents, an inspector with burial services visited the mausoleum on the morning of September 14th and noticed the back door of the mausoleum was wide open and immediately smelled a strong pungent order.

The inspector also noticed two portable air conditioning units in the front and rear areas of the mausoleum chapel were not working. He also says the crypts were leaking bodily fluids.

The report says the manager of the cemetery says the air conditioning units in the mausoleum had not been working for four to five months and had reported the problem to StoneMor, the company that manages the facility.

Problems with mausoleum:

• Strong pungent order

• Air conditioning units not working

• Leakage of bodily fluids

As a result of the inspection, the Highland Memorial Gardens has been suspended and the mausoleum is closed to the public.

The SVP of Sales and Marketing for StoneMor Inc. sent this statement to 39 News about the situation.

“We are aware of the situation with the state of Tennessee and our location. We were in the process of fixing the issue when the paperwork was issued by the state. We are working with contractors already and we anticipate the situation being rectified in the very near future,” said Lindsay Granson, the SVP of Sales & Marketing for StoneMor Inc.

39 News reached out to the staff at Highland Memorial Gardens for comment and they were not able to speak on camera.