A sprinkler system at Fairview Memorial Park apparently had been running for three days flooding some 18 graves and headstones sunken into waterlogged earth that left families devastated.
Relatives who visited their loved ones at the cemetery in southeast Albuquerque said they found submerged graves after an irrigation system was left running from Friday through Sunday.
Some families had to use makeshift cups and cut-up water bottles to scoop water from the graves in a haste to protect their loved ones’ final resting places.
Sadie Roman was visiting her grandmother’s grave. She initially thought the sprinklers were simply part of the cemetery’s routine maintenance. But when she and her family returned later that night, the sprinkler was still running.
The situation had become devastating the following morning.
Roman said she was also saddened to see other families’ graves badly sunken. Her grandmother’s headstone had also been affected.
Yvette Vargas, who visits the cemetery daily, said the sprinkler had continued running until Sunday. She said the sprinkler created large puddles across the cemetery.
She eventually contacted a maintenance worker, who shut off the water by Sunday afternoon.
Distressed relatives scrambled to remove water from the affected graves. Some families found old plastic water bottles, cut them open and used them to scoop out the remaining water.
“It was heartbreaking,” families said as they worked to preserve the graves of their loved ones.
Sujey Sanchez arrived at the cemetery on Friday hoping to visit her son. She discovered that the cemetery was closed. She later learned what had happened, and found her son’s grave sunken into a hole filled with water.
Sanchez sought the help of the fire department. Firefighters arrived but had to call help from another department to pump the water from sunken graves.
Families were demanding answers over how the irrigation system was allowed to run unchecked for so long.
Joshua J. McManigal, director of operations at Fairview Memorial Park, said the cemetery had become aware of the unexpected irrigation problem and immediately took steps to address it.
McManigal, in a statement, said they were confident no loved ones had suffered adverse effects from the incident. He promised to repair graves affected by the flooding.
The cemetery officials also said they are willing to speak with families who have questions or concerns about the incident.
