On the afternoon of Nov. 26, a No. 5 alarm fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, resulting in 128 deaths and 79 injuries to date. While we mourn and shed tears, the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) enters the fire scene, solely to ensure that every departed soul is properly remembered. Let's take a closer look at the DVIU, a specialized team that hopes they are never needed but remains prepared to respond at any moment.
Today (Nov. 29), the police have deployed the DVIU to the fire scene. Using items left near the deceased, physical features, and DNA, they are assisting in identifying the victims. It is estimated that the entire investigation will take three to four weeks.
About the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU)
- Year of establishment: 1975
- Current team size: Approximately 640 members (expanded from 320 members in 2016)
- Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bf7rJdfAC/
Founding of the DVIU
The formation of the DVIU was prompted by a tragic event—the Po Shan Road landslide that occurred on June 18, 1972.
This disaster made the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and senior officials of the Police Force realize that HK, as an international city, needed a systematic and professional team to handle mass casualty incidents (such as plane crashes, shipwrecks, fires, explosions, etc.). Such a team would ensure that victims' remains could be identified quickly, accurately, and humanely, while also providing reliable evidence for death investigations.
As a result, the Hong Kong Police Force began preparations in 1973–1974 and established the DVIU in 1975, referencing DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) standards set by Interpol. This made HK one of the earliest law enforcement agencies in Asia to establish such a professional unit.
All police officers attending the training course must undergo 2.5 days of DVIU-specific training and pass an assessment. Those who pass automatically become DVIU members for one year. Each batch of graduates joins the current active members to form an on-duty team, while the previous batch remains as a backup team.
The CID training course is offered four times a year, maintaining the DVIU's active roster at approximately 640 members. The core members include superintendents, chief inspectors, and senior inspectors from the Detective Training School.
Key responsibilities of the DVIU (three main phases)
1. Scene search and documentation
- Use aerial images to divide the disaster site into 5m × 5m grids (similar to a coordinate system).
- Teams of four members search side-by-side in a straight line, processing one body or body part at a time to avoid confusion.
- Record the discovery's exact location, time, condition of the remains, and nearby personal belongings in detail.
- Since 2015, the DVIU has been using the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system—developed in collaboration with the Innovation and Technology Bureau—to electronically tag and accurately record the location of remains.
2. Handling and transporting remains
- Wear full white protective suits, masks, gloves, and orange helmets.
- Each team carries a 10-pound backpack containing: Body bags (adult/child/partial remains), wooden markers, basic excavation tools, Polaroid instant cameras (to avoid exposing family members to excessively graphic digital images), paper forms, and tablets.
- Teams must disinfect themselves when entering and exiting the search area. Remains are first placed in plastic bags with labels, then in canvas body bags, and finally transported to temporary mortuaries.
3. Mortuary identification and family assistance
- Identify remains based on wallets, phones, clothing, accessories, tattoos, and physical features.
- If necessary, collaborate with the Government Laboratory to extract fingerprints or DNA.
- Assist forensic pathologists during autopsies and accompany family members for final identification of the deceased.
Psychological impact and support
DVIU members often deal with burned remains from fires, decomposed bodies from maritime disasters, and even children's remains. Members are required to meet with police clinical psychologists within one week after each mission. Recovery typically takes 4–6 weeks, while severe cases may require psychiatric care.
Technological advancements
- In 2015, the DVIU introduced the RFID system (still used alongside paper records, per international practices).
- The Disaster Victim Identification System (DVIS) electronic platform was gradually adopted after 2018.
- Polaroid cameras are still used to reduce the secondary trauma caused to families when viewing photos.
A silent yet heavy responsibility
The DVIU is one of the most silent yet weighty professional teams within the Hong Kong Police Force. Its 640 members are regular CID officers in their daily duties. Only during the most catastrophic events do they don white suits and enter gruesome scenes to restore the identities of shattered lives, allowing families to bid farewell properly.
One of their most repeated phrases is: "We hope we'll never have to deploy in our lifetime." Yet, whenever HK needs them, they are always ready.
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