Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The disaster victim identification (DVI) team of the North Sumatra Police has successfully identified all the bodies of the 30 victims of the cigarette lighter factory fire in Sambirejo village, Langkat regency.
The team had identified seven bodies by Saturday evening and identified the remaining 23 by Monday.
North Sumatra Police health division head Sr. Comr. Sahat Harianja, who also led the identification team, said that the bodies had been handed over to the victims' families for burial.
"The identification process has gone faster than our initial targets. At first, we estimated that it would take a week, but on the fourth day it was already completed," Sahat told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Thirty people, including five children, died in the fire which occurred on Friday afternoon. All the victims were brought to the North Sumatra Police Bhayangkara Hospital for identification.
North Sumatra Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Tatan Atmaja said the Police could focus on the legal aspects of the case now that the victim identification had been completed.
"Our focus is now on the law enforcement process with regard to the three suspects that we have detained," he said.
Tatan said the suspects, reportedly the factory owner, manager and supervisor, were alleged to have been negligent in providing safe conditions for the factory workers.
"Because of this negligence, the three suspects face a maximum of five years in prison," he said, adding that the police were also looking into the legality of the factory itself, which is suspected of having operated without a permit. (kmt)