9/11 Victim Remains Identified, 200th Firefighter Dies

The New York City Medical Examiner has identified another person killed in the September 11 terror attacks, the 1,644th victim to be identified. 

The name of the woman is being withheld at the request of the family. The medical examiner was able to positively identify the woman via DNA testing of remains recovered in 2002.

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This is the second new idenfication of a World Trade Center victim in 2019. In June, a man's remains were identified.

Of the 2,753 people reported missing in the disaster, 1,109 victims (or 40% of the total number) still remain unidentified. 

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The medical examiner's identification also comes just one day after the FDNY announced that a firefighter died as a result of 9/11-related illness — the 200th member of the department to succumb to a condition stemming from the terror attack. 

Richard Driscoll died Wednesday. He was a member of the FDNY for 32 years, and retired in 2002 from Engine 91 in East Harlem.

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The Vietnam veteran "bravely responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and worked tirelessly in the rescue and recovery efforts that followed," the department wrote in a Facebook post.

Driscoll was cited for bravery five times during his FDNY career, the FDNY said.

"It is almost incomprehensible that after losing 343 members on September 11, we have now had 200 more FDNY members die due to World Trade Center illness," said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro. "These heroes gave their lives bravely fighting to rescue and recover others. We will never forget them."

Driscoll's death came on the same day that a Republican senator temporarily halted the bill that would ensure the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund would never run out of money.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul objected to a request by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to approve the bipartisan bill by unanimous consent, which would fast-track approval.

Paul questioned the bill’s 70-year time frame and said any new spending should be offset by corresponding cuts.

Photo Credit: FDNY

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