Marshalltown fire: First seven bodies released
The Gauteng Department of Health has announced that seven bodies of victims from the Marshalltown building fire victims have been released to their families.
Last week's fire at a building in the Johannesburg CBD left 77 people dead.
The department's spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the pathologist had completed the post-mortem on Sunday.
"The department can confirm that pathologist today (Sunday) completed post-mortems for the 74 bodies at the Diepkloof Forensic Pathology Services mortuary including for the additional three who died in hospital following the fateful incident."
Modiba added that police have drawn DNA samples of the 62 unidentifiable bodies.
"The police have also drawn DNA samples from the 62 unidentifiable bodies with 13 Antemortem swabbing taken from families. Antemortem samples are only being taken form the siblings or the parents of the deceased.
"Once the samples are taken from the deceased and the family members, they will be cross referenced to match them as part of liking families their deceased loved one."
To date, 10 families have identified their loved ones form the 12 identifiable bodies and seven have already been released to the families.
"Once the families conclude necessary processes and produce required identification documents the mortal remains are released to them for burial," said Modiba.
Only 31 people are still receiving care in hospital as of Sunday after 88 patients were seen at various health facilities since the horrific fire.
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