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Marysville fire victims go home | Marysville fire victims go home |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Six weeks after fires devastated parts of southern Australia, residents of one of the worst-affected towns have finally been allowed to go home. | Six weeks after fires devastated parts of southern Australia, residents of one of the worst-affected towns have finally been allowed to go home. |
Marysville was almost completely destroyed by bushfires on 7 February. | Marysville was almost completely destroyed by bushfires on 7 February. |
It has been sealed off ever since by the police, who have been searching for the remains of victims and investigating suspicions of arson. | |
Bushfires ripped through south-eastern Australia early this year, killing more than 200 people. | Bushfires ripped through south-eastern Australia early this year, killing more than 200 people. |
Forty-five people died when fires tore through Marysville, north-east of the Victorian state capital, Melbourne. | Forty-five people died when fires tore through Marysville, north-east of the Victorian state capital, Melbourne. |
The destruction of the picturesque town became a symbol of the bushfire disaster, the worst in Australia's recent history. | The destruction of the picturesque town became a symbol of the bushfire disaster, the worst in Australia's recent history. |
Search for clues | Search for clues |
For six weeks Marysville has been sealed off as investigators searched for signs of arson and more victims among the charred wreckage of homes, businesses and cars. | For six weeks Marysville has been sealed off as investigators searched for signs of arson and more victims among the charred wreckage of homes, businesses and cars. |
Victoria's Deputy Police Commissioner Kieran Walshe says the forensic work in Marysville is over. | Victoria's Deputy Police Commissioner Kieran Walshe says the forensic work in Marysville is over. |
"It's in excess of 4,000 buildings and structures that we've searched in the last couple of weeks, so it's been a massive exercise to get that done," he said. | |
"We're comfortable now that we've located and recovered all human remains," he added. | "We're comfortable now that we've located and recovered all human remains," he added. |
Among the residents finally allowed to return to Marysville is Merrin Guest, who has been sifting through what remains of her home. | Among the residents finally allowed to return to Marysville is Merrin Guest, who has been sifting through what remains of her home. |
"It's just corrugated metal from the roof and a few chimneys and that's all that was left of our place when we went in. It was completely flattened," she said. | "It's just corrugated metal from the roof and a few chimneys and that's all that was left of our place when we went in. It was completely flattened," she said. |
"I just had this huge sense of, 'Oh, thank goodness we can now start to move forward'," she said. | "I just had this huge sense of, 'Oh, thank goodness we can now start to move forward'," she said. |
A judicial inquiry is examining the causes of the deadly fire outbreaks and the responses of the emergency services. | A judicial inquiry is examining the causes of the deadly fire outbreaks and the responses of the emergency services. |