Mundka fire: Tough to get DNA due to degree of charring, says FSL

Families of 19 persons on June 3 staged a protest demanding that they be given DNA reports so that they could get some closure regarding the fate of their loved ones and perform last rites in the event of them being dead and not “missing”.

Three weeks after a four-storey CCTV camera assembling unit caught fire in Mundka, leaving at least 27 dead or presumed “missing”, a sense of closure eludes families of at least 19 victims as they may never know whether their loved ones have died or will forever remain “missing”. Forensic science laboratory (FSL) officials conducting DNA testing on the charred remains said the high degree of burns is making it almost impossible to get a DNA profile from them.

On May 13, a massive fire broke out at the assembling unit where over 100 employees were attending session by a motivational speaker around 4pm. While many managed to escape the building, either by jumping through the windows or with the help of a crane that locals had arranged, 27 bodies or their charred remains were recovered, police had said. (HT Archive)

A senior FSL official said over 100 samples were received by the lab, including the ones they had collected themselves from the spot and the ones shared by police. These samples included the ones that were sent to the chemistry department to ascertain the cause of fire and the ones that were sent to the biology department for DNA identification.

 

“There is a possibility that all DNA profiles may not match because we may not find live cells in the exhibits that we lifted from the scene, due to the intensity of charring,” the expert said, asking not to be named, adding that for a DNA profile to be generated, one needs a live cell and if there is none, the profile cannot be generated. This finding has FSL experts worried that they may not be able to identify all the charred bodies.

The official quoted above also said when the fire started, many workers had moved to a corner of the building, in an attempt to save themselves, but died. “In cases where the bodies have been reduced to ashes, there is negligible possibility of generating a DNA profile. In such instances, when we run the test after putting the exhibit in the system, it will not give us any result or generate a profile,” the official said.

On May 13, a massive fire broke out at the assembling unit where over 100 employees were attending session by a motivational speaker around 4pm. While many managed to escape the building, either by jumping through the windows or with the help of a crane that locals had arranged, 27 bodies or their charred remains were recovered, police had said.

Eight persons, including the motivational speaker and his son, were identified by relatives while 19 remained unidentified. Incidentally, the total persons reported missing also happened to be 27 which made investigators suspect that those who have been reported missing may be the ones who are dead. Therefore, samples of the charred remains were collected and DNA samples of blood relatives of those reported missing were also collected for cross matching.

Families of 19 persons on June 3 staged a protest demanding that they be given DNA reports so that they could get some closure regarding the fate of their loved ones and perform last rites in the event of them being dead and not “missing”. Deputy commissioner of police (outer) Sameer Sharma had told the families that the FSL will soon submit their results and they will start informing families.

Adarsh Kumar, professor of forensic medicine and toxicology and also faculty in-charge of forensic anthropology, All Indian Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, agreed with the assessment of the FSL officials that in the absence of a live cell, the DNA profile cannot be generated.

“It’s easier to generate a DNA profile if a live cell is found in blood or skin, but if one just has bones, it becomes tougher and chances to isolate DNA diminishes,” he said.

Adarsh said once a body is burnt, there are some bones which don’t fully burn and DNA can be generated from them but sometimes, the temperature is so high that the DNA is denatured and destroyed.

He said teeth is the best source of DNA in such cases as those cells don’t get destroyed even at temperatures of 800 degrees centigrade. “A lot also depends on how carefully the exhibit is lifted and ensuring it’s not contaminated,” he said.