Unusual scenes unfolded at a construction site in Schëllecksgaass, Gilsdorf, at the start of the week, when an excavator involved in ongoing works unexpectedly rolled away overnight. The vehicle had been parked further up the road by a depot belonging to the construction company, where it was supposed to remain until morning.
However, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, the excavator somehow became mobile, travelling through fields and hedges, down an embankment, and eventually crashing through the cemetery's wire fence.
The machine flew over the first row of graves and came to rest atop several others, according to Patrick Mergen, Mayor of Bettendorf, who spoke to RTL. In total, nine graves were destroyed and two more sustained damage in the incident.
The scene was first discovered on Wednesday morning, when a local florist, who had arrived to deliver flowers, noticed the damaged graves and the excavator sitting amidst the wreckage. The florist immediately alerted the authorities.
Shortly after, construction workers arrived at the cemetery, having realised that the excavator they had parked the previous evening was no longer at its original location.
According to a local resident, a loud crash was heard at around 2.30am. The resident reportedly checked whether the noise had come from his bins or car, but did not suspect anything had happened at the cemetery.
A municipal mechanic later confirmed to Mayor Mergen that the excavator's handbrake had been engaged and the vehicle was locked when parked. This suggests a technical fault may be to blame. As a precaution, the municipality has asked the owner of the excavator to have it removed by crane, so the cause of the incident can be investigated further.
On Wednesday morning, between 10am and 10.30am, parish priest Albert Franck discovered the extent of the damage while walking through the village. "It is a sad sight to stand in front of the ruins", he told RTL.
When he arrived at the cemetery, the excavator was still present, and the mayor, a site supervisor, and the machine's owner were all on site. Following his discovery, Father Franck took it upon himself to contact families whose relatives' graves had been damaged or destroyed, informing them of the incident.
Some families, surprised to hear the news from the priest rather than the municipality, subsequently contacted the local authorities for more information.
When residents enquired at the municipal office, they were told to be patient as "a letter will be sent out". Mayor Mergen confirmed to RTL that an official letter is being prepared for the families concerned.
Those affected will be informed of the incident and asked to obtain a quote for repairs, which they should then forward to the insurance company of the construction firm that owns the excavator. Details of the procedure will be included in the letter.
According to the police, a patrol was dispatched to the scene at around 9am on Wednesday after they received an alert.
However, as the municipality and the companies involved have agreed to settle the matter privately, the police are not pursuing further action.
