Floral Haven Says Mausoleum Odor Addressed

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

BROKEN ARROW, OK -- Thursday marked the 10^th day in the controversy surrounding the smell of a decomposing body in a mausoleum at Floral Haven Cemetery.  Floral Haven initially told The News On 6 they believed the smell was coming from a body prepared by Nick Reynolds Funeral Home.

Reynolds has denied that and provided letters from experts that back up his position.  The family related to the body, told The News On 6 they feel certain their deceased family member is not the source of the smell.  However, Floral Haven has now finished its investigation and is standing by its original statement.

Floral Haven says they conducted a detailed crypt by crypt investigation, looking for the smell and once they narrowed it down to the crypt where the odor was strongest; they got permission from the family and a state permit to remove the casket.  They say the crypt was the top one, just below the ceiling and there were four others below it.  They say a picture shows the fluid that was present in the crypt where the casket was removed.

They say it appeared to have dripped down to the two crypts below it. 

Floral Haven says they hired APEX BioClean to clean all three.

APEX BioClean Report

"I would want everyone to know the three crypts affected by this odor have been cleaned and treated and the odor has been absent since July 31st and remains absent today," said Floral Haven General Manager Mark Blankenship.

The family of the man, whose body was removed, told The News On 6 on Wednesday they did not believe the odor was coming from him or his casket and they didn't want to put him back in the mausoleum until the odor was gone.

08/05/2009  Related Story: Family Of Disinterred Man Discusses Floral Haven Odor

Floral Haven says it can't say definitively the fluid was coming from that casket, but says there was no fluid found in any other crypts and it isn't likely fluid could enter another way and once they cleaned the crypts, the smell went away and hasn't come back.

Floral Haven Statement

"Our primary concern has been for the family primarily affected by this individual. We have and remain ready, willing and able to bring this loved one back into our mausoleum and place them in their final resting place," said Floral Haven General Manager Mark Blankenship.