Death toll from Marshalltown fire rises to 77
The Department of Health has confirmed that the death toll of the people killed in the Johannesburg Inner City fire incident on Thursday has increased to 77.
The department's spokesperson Motalatale Modiba says three patients died in the hospital.
"The third one was declared dead on the 2nd of September, this brings the total to 77. You would recall that 74 of those people were declared at the scene."
Modiba has given the latest update on the patients and processing of bodies since the incident.
He says only 31 people remain in hospital out of the 88 patients that were seen at various health facilities.
"Of the 31 patients in admission, only five still require semi-critical care, however, they are fully awake, and the admitted patients are not impacting the normal flow of our trauma patients in our facility."
Modiba says they have made great progress in conducting post-mortems on the 74 bodies.
By Saturday evening, pathologists had completed 58 bodies, with 16 to be concluded on Sunday.
He says this process has helped the identification of the deceased to also move with speed.
There are 62 unidentifiable bodies at the Diepkloof Forensic Pathology Services mortuary and 12 identifiable corpses.
"To date, 40 families have presented at the facility to report their loved ones which has resulted in a list of 66 names that possibly perished in a fire being developed and nine families have already identified their loved ones from the 12 identifiable bodies,” says Modiba.
"Once the families conclude necessary processes and produce the required documentation documents, the mortal remains will be released to them."
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