At least 58 dead after horror fire breaks out in multi-storey building in Johannesburg
Aftermath of fire in Johannesburg
Reuters
At least 58 people have reportedly been killed following a fire in a multi-storey building.
The blaze broke out in the middle of the night in Johannesburg, a spokesman for the emergency services confirmed.
Spokesman Robert Mulaudzi warned that the number of fatalities could continue to rise as more people could be trapped inside.
At least one child is reported to be among the dead.
Johannesburg fire
Reuters
According to a local witness, the building is home to at least 200 people.
However, the building has been described as an “informal settlement” where homeless people had moved in looking for accommodation but had yet to sign a formal lease agreement.
Firefighters have yet to identify the cause of the fire.
They added that although the fire has been largely extinguished, smoke is continuing to seep from windows.
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People crowd the streets following fire
Reuters
Authorities turned away occupants arriving at the scene with the operation now shifting into search and rescue.
Pictures of the scene show bodies lying covered in the street.
Images also show a huge number of firefighters on site with at least 4 engines in attendance.
“Over 20 years in the service, I've never come across something like this,” Mulaudzi said.
Johannesburg
Reuters
People looking for their loved ones have been warned that the chances of finding anyone alive are “very slim”.
“This is not a place where somebody can live,” one woman looking for her daughter tearfully told reporters.
“I was trying to get her to come back home so she could get back to the life she was living before.”
Sheets tied to one another could be seen hanging from the windows with it currently being unclear whether people were using them to try and escape.