Bohumín The identification of the victims of Saturday’s apartment fire in Bohumín in the Karviná region is handled by a special team of experts consisting of an anthropologist, geneticist, dactyloscope, forensic doctor, documentary filmmaker and group leader Petr Bendl. The head of the group said that the first part of the identification is performed by the team directly at the crime scene by looking at the dead, the second at the autopsy room.
“At the same time, data on victims are being collected – available medical records, fingerprints, genetic material, photographs and the like are provided. The last phase of identification is the evaluation of all available information and possible identification, “explained Bendl, who works as the deputy head of the dactyloscopy department at the Criminalistics Institute.
Some tenants no longer want to return to their house in Bohumín after the tragic fire, the city will provide them with alternative housing |
The group of specialists led by Bendl is called the DVI team according to the English disaster victim identification – that is, the identification of victims of mass disasters. The wider team also includes police searchers, forensic dentists and a psychologist. The group consists of experts from the Criminalistics Institute, the Institutes of Forensic Medicine of the Central Military Hospital, the General University Hospital and the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, as well as from the Ministry of the Interior and individual regional police directorates.
“Team members are trained in various difficult situations, where the identification of bodies can be very difficult – for example, fire, natural disasters, terrorist attacks,” said Bendl.
In Bohumín, the team was in full swing for the first time, although it has existed for several years. “The team has been prepared to go abroad several times in the past to help colleagues identify victims of mass disasters, but in no case did the trip take place in the end. The team members underwent several different exercises in cooperation with the integrated rescue system, within the international activities of Interpol, Europol and the EU, “wrote the head of the group.
The tragedy in Bohumín is a shocking experience. A large circle of people was affected, says the crisis psychologist |
The team is to intervene in cases where more than ten people die. When identifying victims, it follows its own methodology as well as the Interpol methodology. “For the executive part of the team, the activity ends with the identification and transmission of information to the locally competent police department. The team management then evaluates the team’s commitment and activities, “added Bendl.
The establishment of the Czech DVI team began to be considered in 2004, when Thailand was hit by a devastating tsunami. Among the victims were six Czech citizens who were identified on the basis of dental X-rays. At that time, two geneticists from the Criminalistics Institute were sent to Thailand. The Czech team was formed ten years later in cooperation with Switzerland, which provided its experience, trainers and money for material equipment.
During the fire in the panel house in Bohumín, 11 participants in the birthday party, including three children, died and other people were injured. The police accused a 54-year-old man of deliberately setting fire to the apartment, and his motive was family disputes, according to criminal investigators. He faces up to life in prison for murder and general danger, and the court sent him into custody on Tuesday.
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