Mortuary logistics delay identification of Joburg CBD fire victims
Government urged families of the deceased to make their way to the Diepkloof FPS mortuary in Soweto from Friday for the identification of bodies
01 September 2023 - 11:59
byKhanyisile Ngcobo
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More than 70 people have been confirmed dead after this building in Marshaltown, Johannesburg, was engulfed by fire in the early hours on August 31 2023. Image: Thulani Mbele
Only a few bodies have been moved to the Diepkloof forensic pathology services (FPS) mortuary, while the remainder are waiting to be transported from the Hillbrow mortuary after a fire in a Johannesburg CBD building claimed 74 lives on Thursday.
The government urged families of the deceased to make their way to the Diepkloof FPS mortuary in Soweto from Friday for the identification of bodies.
The inner-city building on the corner of Albert and Delvers streets was gutted in the early hours of Thursday, claiming the lives of 40 men, 24 women and 12 children. Ten of the bodies are unidentifiable.
On Friday morning families could be seen making their way into the mortuary to identify their loved ones.
Treasure-Lee Shuping, who on Thursday rushed to the scene of the disaster in search of her daughter, was among those who made their way to the Soweto mortuary on Friday.
She said she was referred to Hillbrow as the only bodies at Diepkloof were the unidentifiable ones.
Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba confirmed there were bodies at the Hillbrow mortuary but said they would all be transported to Soweto ahead of the identification process.
The department is expected to brief the media and provide updates on the identification process. A prayer session is expected to be held in the Joburg CBD on Friday afternoon.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Mortuary logistics delay identification of Joburg CBD fire victims
Government urged families of the deceased to make their way to the Diepkloof FPS mortuary in Soweto from Friday for the identification of bodies
Image: Thulani Mbele
Only a few bodies have been moved to the Diepkloof forensic pathology services (FPS) mortuary, while the remainder are waiting to be transported from the Hillbrow mortuary after a fire in a Johannesburg CBD building claimed 74 lives on Thursday.
The government urged families of the deceased to make their way to the Diepkloof FPS mortuary in Soweto from Friday for the identification of bodies.
The inner-city building on the corner of Albert and Delvers streets was gutted in the early hours of Thursday, claiming the lives of 40 men, 24 women and 12 children. Ten of the bodies are unidentifiable.
On Friday morning families could be seen making their way into the mortuary to identify their loved ones.
Treasure-Lee Shuping, who on Thursday rushed to the scene of the disaster in search of her daughter, was among those who made their way to the Soweto mortuary on Friday.
She said she was referred to Hillbrow as the only bodies at Diepkloof were the unidentifiable ones.
Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba confirmed there were bodies at the Hillbrow mortuary but said they would all be transported to Soweto ahead of the identification process.
The department is expected to brief the media and provide updates on the identification process. A prayer session is expected to be held in the Joburg CBD on Friday afternoon.
TimesLIVE
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