Photo by: George municipality
Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) and the South African Police Service are planning to expedite the identification of persons killed in a building collapse in George, in the Western Cape, with only six of the 32 deceased persons identified thus far.
Eighty-one people were working on site on the partially built building when it collapsed on May 6.
By 09:00 on May 14, 20 people were still unaccounted for, while 12 were in the hospital. The death toll had also increased to 32, as rescue efforts continued.
In an update to the public, the George municipality says FPS is making use of fingerprints, DNA testing and photographs of unique markings, such as tattoos, as part of efforts to identify the deceased.
It is also calling on families who have lost contact with people who may have been working on site when the building collapsed to go to the George Civic Centre and provide the Department of Social Development with the accurate names and other details. This is to ensure there is an accurate account of individuals who are unaccounted for or deceased.