Sad milestone as police confirm identities of four men found after mill fire

The remains of four Vietnamese men found after a fire at a mill in Oldham have now been identified by matching their DNA to family members in their homeland.

The victims were identified as Uoc Van Nguyen, Cuong Van Chu, Duong Van Nguyen and Nam Thanh Lee.

Search teams are still working at Bismark House Mill after the remains were found after the fire in May.

Greater Manchester Police say a file has been passed to the coroner and that an inquest will be opened in the coming weeks.

The criminal investigation remains open, with the police previously arresting two individuals who are still on bail.   

Eight Greater Manchester Police officers travelled to Vietnam to obtain statements and DNA samples from 18 individuals across different regions of the country.

They also briefed Vietnamese officials – including government and law enforcement - on events which took place here in the UK.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, Gold Commander for Operation Logan, said: "The thoughts of all involved in this operation remain with these men’s loved ones in Vietnam.

"Though we have been liaising with them for several months, this final confirmation of their identities will understandably be upsetting.

"Though the identification is an important milestone for the operation, our work is far from over.

"At the site, work will continue until the search is complete.

"Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the criminal investigation team will exhaust all lines of enquiry to ensure any criminal offences are identified and those responsible face justice."