All 23 students who died in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Residential Religious School in Jalan Keramat Ujung have been successfully identified via DNA tests, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

All the remains underwent the identification process at the National Forensic Medicine Institute (IPFN), Kuala Lumpur Hospital, here.

He said the Health Ministry would meet and inform the victims' parents for further undertakings and closure.

"I would like to thank Dr Mohd Shah, Head of IPFN and his team, plus all parties coming together to assist and facilitate the rapid response and management of this national tragedy. We hope and pray this will be the last such incidence and preventive actions must be in place and be the order of the day," he said in his latest Facebook posting today.

Twenty-one students and two teacher-wardens perished in the fire yesterday. -- BERNAMA