Confirmed bushfires toll drops to 173
The death toll from Victoria’s Black Saturday bushfires has been revised down from 210 to 173.
Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe says scientists examining remains have established that what were believed in some cases to be two or more people turned out to be a single person.
Further investigations have also resulted in a number of people who were originally feared dead now being accounted for.
“Over the past six weeks we have gone through tens of thousands of records and documentation, working closely with the Red Cross and the Coroner’s Office to ensure that the figure we have is as accurate as it possibly can be at this time,” Mr Walshe said.
Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe says scientists examining remains have established that what were believed in some cases to be two or more people turned out to be a single person.
Further investigations have also resulted in a number of people who were originally feared dead now being accounted for.
“Over the past six weeks we have gone through tens of thousands of records and documentation, working closely with the Red Cross and the Coroner’s Office to ensure that the figure we have is as accurate as it possibly can be at this time,” Mr Walshe said.