Forensic Pathology Digital Fingerprint System Identifies Additional Victims of Marshalltown Fire Tragedy

In the wake of the devastating fire that engulfed a building in Johannesburg on August 31, claiming the lives of 77 people, there have been ongoing efforts to identify the victims. Today, the Gauteng Department of Health confirmed that the Forensic Pathology Digital Fingerprint System identified 11 more bodies from the Marshalltown fire. Jacaranda FM reports that the blaze was a tragic incident, and three individuals who initially survived succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

According to Motalatale Modiba, the spokesperson for the department, an update on Sunday revealed significant progress in the identification process. Using the Forensic Pathology Digital Fingerprint System, the deceased’s fingerprints were processed, leading to the identification of an additional 11 people.

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Modiba explained that further examinations were carried out after autopsies were conducted and the deceased were prepared. In this phase, families identified seven additional bodies through distinctive features such as tattoos and other body marks.

This development has brought the total number of identifiable bodies to 30 combined with the 12 that were initially identifiable. However, it’s important to note that a significant number of individuals, 62 in total, remain unidentifiable victims of this tragic incident.

As the identification process continues, the number of unidentifiable bodies currently stands at 44.

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Picture: X / odirileram

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