All 23 fire victims identified via DNA test — Health DG
KUALA LUMPUR: All 23 students and teachers who died in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Residential Religious School in Jalan Keramat Ujung have been successfully identified via DNA tests, said Health director- general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
All the remains underwent the identification process at the National Forensics Medicine Institute ( IPFN), Kuala Lumpur Hospital, here.
He said the Health Ministry would meet and inform the victims’ parents for further undertakings and closure.
“I would like to thank Dr Mohd Shah, Head of IPFN and his team, plus all parties coming together to assist and facilitate the rapid response and management of this national tragedy. We hope and pray this will be the last such incidence and preventive actions must be in place and be the order of the day,” he said in his latest Facebook posting yesterday.
The 5.15am fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school resulted in the deaths of 21 students and 2 teachers after they were trapped in the building that had grilles on the door and windows.
Six other students sustained injuries.
Meanwhile, 12 of the 23 students and teachers will be laid to rest at the Raudhatul Sakinah Cemetery in Taman Batu Muda here.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the remains of the 12 victims would be buried by yesterday.
“The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) has set up six special teams to arrange the funeral for the victims.
“However, we are still waiting for the disaster victim identification ( DVI) process to be concluded,” he told reporters after spending 20 minutes checking the situation at the school yesterday.
Also present were Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Malaysian Islamic Development Department director-general Tan Sri Othman Mustapha.
The funeral prayers for all the victims were expected to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Mosque after the conclusion of the DVI process.
Jawi in a statement also said four of the remaining victims would be laid to rest at Jalan Ampang Muslim cemetery, one each at the Muslim cemetery in Taman Kosas, Dato’ Keramat, Jalan Klang Lama Taman Medan and Bukit Kuari Cheras.
Three other remains would be buried at the cemetery in Paroi Jaya, Seremban ( Negeri Sembilan), Pengkalan Kubur ( Kelantan) and Sungkai ( Perak). — Bernama