WASHINGTON, D.C. : Budget Shortage Is Disaster for Morgue

Insect infestation, fetid air and stacked bodies plague the District of Columbia morgue, the latest city office to fall victim to a mounting cash shortage. City officials said it will cost about $800,000 to make immediate repairs and that $3 million will ultimately be needed to improve conditions at the morgue. But that may be hard to come by for a city with an accumulated deficit of $378 million. The Washington Post reported that because the crematorium broke down a month ago, 74 corpses, more than three times the morgue’s capacity, were stockpiled. The city has no other way to dispose of corpses, and last week the air conditioning went out. City officials said they have found a contractor to repair the crematorium and hope to start repairs within a week.