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Authorities identify 38th victim of NCCC Mall fire
Authorities have identified the 38th victim of the deadly blaze that gutted the NCCC Mall in Davao City over the weekend.
JUST IN: 38th casualty of the NCCC Mall Davao fire was identified today. The victim's name is Jimbo Limosnero. @gmanews
— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) December 26, 2017
GMA News’ Mav Gonzales, reporting from Davao City, said in a tweet the victim was identified as Jimbo Limosnero, citing the Office of the Mayor of Davao City as source in a separate message.
Limosnero was the latest casualty to be identified. One of the victims was recovered on Sunday and 36 others were recovered on Monday. Authorities earlier said 37 were declared missing.
Moreover, 16 of the recovered bodies have been identified, according to a report by RGMA Davao stringer Kim Palma, as quoted by Super Radyo dzBB in another tweet.
16 sa mga nasawi sa sunog sa NCCC mall sa Davao City, tukoy na ang pagkakakilanlan. | via Kim Palma, RGMA Davao
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 26, 2017
However, an official of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory in Region 11 declined to identify the victims’ exact cause of death. It is not presently clear whether or not they succumbed to scorching, or smoke inhalation, or if they were killed by falling debris.
“That has to be examined by our medico-legal officers so I could not really state for a fact kung ano po ‘yung cause ng death right now,” Police Superintendent Virginia Bucor said in a separate interview on GMA News’ “Quick Response Team.”
In the aftermath of the mall fire, investigators only resorted to DNA testing in the absence of personal identifying information on the bodies of the victims, she said.
Authorities are interviewing the victims’ family members to determine personal belongings the casualties may have brought along on the day of the tragedy, Bucor added. — Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/VDS/KBK, GMA News
