Identification of victims of the collapse of a mine tailing dam in Brumadinho

The collapse of the B1 Dam of VALESAmining company in Brumadinho,Minas Gerais,Brazil was the largest humanitarian disaster and occupational accident in the country’s history,and it posed challenges regarding the management and identification of multiple victims.We evaluated the impact of the iron ore tailings on the victims’bodies.We examined the scientific identification of the victims and the dynamics of the disaster over the 1st year after it occurred.We also determined the socio-demographic profiles of the victims.In this retrospective,cross-sectional study,we investigated the expert reports of the victims’biological remains from 25 January 2019 to 25 January 2020.We analysed the socio-demographic data,identification methods,identification status,identification time,and necroscopic information.During the study period,259 of 270 victims were identified,and 603 biological materials were analysed;among them,86.2%were body parts and 13.8%were whole bodies.Of the total cases registered that year,476(78.9%)were submitted during the first 10 weeks after the disaster.Friction ridge analysis accounted for 67.9%of primary identifications and DNAanalysis did so for 91.6%of re-identification cases.Body dismemberment was 3.4 times greater among mine workers than among community victims.Adult males accounted for the greatest number of victims(P<0.001).Polytraumatic injury was the prevalent single cause of death.Necropsy examination revealed the occurrence of asphyxia in 7%of cases.The higher number of fatalities and greater dismemberment among employees than with community residents underlines the occupational dangers in the mining industry and clarifies the dynamics of the disaster.In the initial weeks after the dam collapsed,friction ridge analysis was the most appropriate method for identification.Subsequently,DNAanalysis became the most-used technique for identification and re-identification owing to the great volume of body parts and decomposed biological tissue.Autopsy allowed diagnosis of the causes of death to be clarified according to the Brazilian criminal legal system.

The“microwave oven”practice in Brazil

This article presents a forensic case of an unusual illegal cremation of a person using a process colloquially known as the“microwave oven”practice in Brazil.The microwave process involves two actions:placing the victim in a tire stack and then setting the structure on fire using flammable substances to accelerate the progression.Asimilar practice,identified as“necklacing”,has also been reported in other countries such as South Africa.This report presents a case of microwave oven cremation of a body found in a rural area of Minas Gerais,Brazil.The forensic work helped determine the biological profile and identity of the victim using radiological comparisons.Although the microwave oven cremation practice is rare,it can impose challenges for investigators.Therefore,fully understanding this practice can be helpful to the academic and forensic communities.