ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -  It’s another ripple effect of the growing obesity crisis in this country.

Tim Cusick, general manager of St. Louis Cremation, says they are looking to add a fourth incinerator to accommodate those who won’t fit into the 36-inch openings of their three incinerators that are capable of cremating people weighing up to 600 pounds.

“It’s upsetting for the families to come in and we say ‘Well, there may be a problem with this, we may not be able to to this cremation’,” Cusick told KMOX News. “Unfortunately, someone too large to be able to cremate leaves the family with burial as the only option.”

Cremation generally costs around $1,200 compared to buying a casket and plot at prices of up to $12,000, putting families in a financial bind.

There was also a recent story out of Australia in which the fat from a 440 lb. woman being cremated caught fire, nearly burning down the entire building.