'Unconscionable' body overflow at funeral home prompts probe

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City funeral home that resorted to storing dozens of bodies on ice in rented trucks after it was overwhelmed by coronavirus deaths is being investigated by state officials.

The funeral home in Brooklyn could face civil fines and suspensions after authorities responding to complaints by passersby about a bad smell there Wednesday found that the home had rented four trucks to hold about 50 corpses, Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said Thursday.

Health officials also “have now issued guidance to all the funeral homes that we will not tolerate any of that kind of behavior,” Zucker said at the daily coronavirus briefing by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“Obviously the funeral home shouldn’t have done that," Cuomo said.

Messages were left Thursday with Andrew T. Cleckley, the owner of the funeral home. He told The New York Times on Wednesday that he needed to use the trucks for overflow storage after he had filled his chapel with more than 100 corpses.

“I ran out of space,” he said. “Bodies are coming out of our ears.”

The funeral home was initially cited for failing to control the odors before it obtained a larger, refrigerated truck later in the day. Workers suited up in protective gear could be seen Thursday afternoon transferring bodies into the refrigerated truck.

Mayor Bill de Blasio called the actions of funeral home officials “unconscionable.”

“I have no idea in the world how any funeral home could let this happen,” the Democrat said at his news briefing, arguing that officials at the home should have asked its state regulators or even city police for help if it was becoming overwhelmed.

The funeral home “should have been able to figure it out,” he said.

New York City funeral homes have struggled in the city since...