An exhumation of 17 bodies has led to the identification of two remains, according to an article by political journalist Stephane Vande Velde. The Bois du Cazier decided to exhume the unidentified bodies following a disaster that killed 262 people in August 1956. While the names of the 17 victims were known, their remains bore the effects of the fire and were buried in a common plot with an “unknown” plaque. DNA research a year and a half later has identified the bodies of Oscar Pellegrims from Belgium and Dante Di Quilio from Italy. The latter’s family said they were “moved” by the identification, revealing that Di Quilio’s wife learned of the news a few days before her own death, and was able to join him. Some content was only available to subscribers.
The exhumation of 17 bodies made it possible to restore their identity to two remains.
By Stephane Vande Velde
En October 2021, the Bois du Cazier decided to exhume 17 unidentified bodies following the disaster of August 8, 1956, which killed 262 people. We knew the names of these 17 victims, without being able to establish a correspondence with their remains, marked by the effects of the fire. These bodies had been buried in a common plot and marked with an “unknown” plaque. If there were 17 names, 14 skeletons were discovered, three having been repatriated in 1958 to Italy, without their plate having been removed. A year and a half following this exhumation, the results of DNA research have delivered (part of) their verdict. Two bodies have been formally identified, those of the Belgian Oscar Pellegrims and the Italian Dante Di Quilio. The latter’s family, who came especially from Milan, said they were “moved” before adding that “the wife of the deceased learned the news of the identification a few days before his death. She knew then that she might join him.
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The exhumation of 17 bodies, decades following the disaster at Bois du Cazier, was a somber and emotional undertaking. But thanks to the dedication and hard work of researchers, the identities of two of those lost in the tragedy have been restored. The families of Oscar Pellegrims and Dante Di Quilio can now find some solace in the knowledge of where their loved ones rest. It’s a reminder that even the small victories can make a big difference in the long process of healing and closure.
