Credit: Bristol Cemetery Land Company/Facebook
A grass fire spread through a section of the Bristol Cemetery along Route 13 near the intersection with Veterans Highway (Route 413) in Bristol Township.
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The fire was reported late Wednesday night at the 8.5-acre cemetery in the township.
Crews from the Croydon Fire Company responded to the cemetery and put out the grass fire that was whipped around by the gusty winds, Fire Chief Tom Tryon said.
The fire marshal’s office said they weren’t investigating the blaze, and Tryon stated it is suspected the fire was started by a discarded cigarette or a candle that may have been left at a grave.
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A social media post from the cemetery said no headstones were damaged, but the grass was burnt and some items left by families were destroyed.
The cemetery said the damage was contained to the D section and a portion of the G section.
“We ask that everyone refrains from attempting to do any repairs and allows the caretaker to use the correct techniques and products to restore the grass,” the statement said.
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The cemetery has been in operation since 1882. In 1951, the Bristol Methodist Church Graveyard was moved from Bristol Borough to the Bristol Township cemetery to make room for construction of a store.
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