South African man wakes after 21 hours in morgue fridge

The Story

Morgue owner Ayanda Maqolo said he sent his driver to collect the body shortly after the family reported the death. Maqolo said he thought the man was around 80 years old. "When he got there, the driver examined the body, checked his pulse, looked for a heartbeat, but there was nothing," Maqolo told the Associated Press.

This is really creepy...

But a day after staff put the body into a locked refrigerated compartment, morgue workers heard someone shouting for help. They thought it was a ghost, the morgue owner said. "I couldn't believe it!" Maqolo said. "I was also scared. But they are my employees and I had to show them I wasn't scared, so I called the

The workers thought it was a ghost.

He said the man was pale when they pulled him out. "He asked, 'How did I get here?'" Maqolo said.

After spending the night in a freezer with dead people...I think I would be pale as well.

"I couldn't sleep last night, I had nightmares," he said. "But today I'm much better."

I wonder how much this happens all over the world.

You would think they would at least make sure you were dead.

The zombie apocalypse has begun!!!!

They used to make coffins with a rope attached to bells, so if the person woke up they could ring the bells and be exhumed. I thought medicine had advanced quite a bit and burying / morgueing live people was old news.. Guess not!

I love stories like this, they're just so weird/creepy/cool.

reply to post by whyamIhere

You would think they would at least make sure you were dead.

Freaky story for sure....that was my first question too...

Who was the idiot that pronounced him dead...might want to check his credentials?

Usually establishing someone is dead is relatively routine...I suppose its a good thing they didn't start an autopsy early on...or he would have woken up in pieces I suppose!

reply to post by whyamIhere


Poor old chap, I'm surprised the experience hasn't resulted in him being sent back to the morgue, dead this time...

Sounds like a case of Lazarus Syndrome

...the spontaneous return of circulation after failed attempts at resuscitation. Occurrences of the syndrome are extremely rare and the causes are not well understood. One theory for the phenomenon is that a chief factor (though not the only one) is the buildup of pressure in the chest as a result of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The relaxation of pressure after resuscitation efforts have ended is thought to allow the heart to expand, triggering the heart's electrical impulses and restarting the heartbeat. Other possible factors are Hyperkalemia or high doses of Epinephrine.

reply to post by whyamIhere


WTF ??????????????

to quote the article :

Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the man awoke Sunday afternoon, 21 hours after his family called in an undertaker who sent him to the morgue after an asthma attack.

Morgue owner Ayanda Maqolo said he sent his driver to collect the body shortly after the family reported the death. Maqolo said he thought the man was around 80 years old.

"When he got there, the driver examined the body, checked his pulse, looked for a heartbeat, but there was nothing," Maqolo told the Associated Press.

what happened to calling the ambulance service / paramedics , a doctor ???????????????

can we have some confirmation of RSA law ??

hear [ UK ] an undertaker cannot take custody of a corpse untill a doctor has signed a death certificate

how the hell did a undertakers delivery driver get the authority to pronounce death

Torchwood all over again, 'ello Captain Jack! I see you have awakened from the dead!

Bring out your dead......

What about the religions that bury you right away.

You know there has to have been mistakes.

It really makes you wonder.

Originally posted by whyamIhere
What about the religions that bury you right away.

You know there has to have been mistakes.

It really makes you wonder.

In Islam we bury our dead as soon as we can. However, that's usually after a medical examiner has checked out the deceased, and declared him/her.....deceased..

I couldn't imagine waking up in a freezer, let alone a grave... oh God..

How did he not die from hypothermia in the morgue? Considering his metabolic activity was so low that people thought he was dead, how did he not simply die from low body temperature????

Something about this story sounds like B.S. You don't spend 16 hours in a refrigerator, naked, and not die, ESPECIALLY if your heart is beating so weak that professionals can't detect your pulse.

I'm thinking it's a hoax.

Originally posted by Cryptonomicon
How did he not die from hypothermia in the morgue? Considering his metabolic activity was so low that people thought he was dead, how did he not simply die from low body temperature????

Something about this story sounds like B.S. You don't spend 16 hours in a refrigerator, naked, and not die, ESPECIALLY if your heart is beating so weak that professionals can't detect your pulse.

I'm thinking it's a hoax.

edit on 26-7-2011 by Cryptonomicon because: (no reason given)

What is the temp in morgues? Depending on the number it's possible he coulda just caught a cold or something from the temp. It'd have to be mad cold to kill him. Plus, I thought cold is best when you have a low pulse because of the work your heart puts in to try to warm you back up.

Just throwing this out.

I know they are lowering the body temperature of drowning victims.

I was wondering if the cold saved his life.

Also, the article said refrigerator not freezer.

I studied this in school last semester (USA), death is manifested by:

absence of respirations, pulse and heartbeat
fixed and dilated pupils; eyes may stay open
release of stool and urine
waxen color/pallor as blood settles to dependent areas
body temperature drops
lack of reflexes
flat encephalogram of brain activity

Pronouncement of death is legally required by a doctor or medical examiner

So this area in South Africa must not have established this criteria, otherwise something should have shown up.

Personally, when my mom passed recently, a brain scan and EKG were taken after she took her lasts breaths.
Hope this answers some questions anyone may have.

Originally posted by ignorant_ape

 

what happened to calling the ambulance service / paramedics , a doctor ???????????????

can we have some confirmation of RSA law ??

hear [ UK ] an undertaker cannot take custody of a corpse untill a doctor has signed a death certificate

how the hell did a undertakers delivery driver get the authority to pronounce death

RSA ... LAW? There isn't. It's supposed to work the way you describe, we're very closely based on english law.

I cannot trace WHERE in SA this happened, but for most, paramedics/ambulances wouldn't even go into the area. Bad roads, random riots, hijackings etc have all but removed that as an option. Ditto for doctors, for anyone requiring medical help, without paying for medaid, it's a minimum of a full day to see a doctor, whatever your ailment.

Probably the most profitable industry in SA right now is Burial Services. Mostly because they are community orientated. IE it's easier to get a morgue van than an ambulance. Unless foul play is suspected, the police wouldn't even be notified.

Regarding paramedics and house calls:

www.iol.co.za... -after-pair-attacked-1.1108426

“At the hostel, they met another man who was in the company of a woman. He got into the ambulance under the pretence that he also knew where the patient was, and they drove into the hostel complex.” Mbense said the two robbers were joined by a third man. The trio then tied up the paramedics and beat them. “They then stole a medical bag and two medical machines from the ambulance. The paramedics were also searched and robbed of a cellphone and R600 in cash,” she said. Mbense said one robber drove the ambulance to Martinus Drive, where he left it with have safety concerns. “Criminals are out to get us and I don’t think panic buttons are effective because the security company could take too long to respond, and it might be too late when they arrive. Panic buttons are not a solution,” said one paramedic. Another said they had more to fear since beginning to use Toyota Quantums, which he said were targets for hijackers and car thieves. “Every time I respond to a call in those vehicles, I fear for my life. We are always alert, but ever since that sad incident on our female colleagues last year, we have become even more concerned over our safety,” he said.