Johannesburg: Fire kills at least 73 in five-storey building occupied by homeless, squatters

At least 73 people died and 43 others were injured after a fire broke out in arundown five-storey building that was occupied by homeless people and squattersin Johannesburgon Thursday (August 31). According toEmergency Management spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi, the blaze started early Thursday.Mulaudzi said it was not yet clear what caused the blaze.

Seven of the victims were children, with the youngest being just one-year-old, said an emergency services spokesperson.

As many as 200 people were likely to have been living in the building, said witnesses.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the flames. The building had been evacuated and search and recovery operations were ongoing. Television footage showed fire trucks and ambulances outside the red and white building with burned-out windows, which has been cordoned off by police.

“The death toll may increase. The fire took three hours to contain.This is a tragedy for Johannesburg. Over 20 years in the service, I’ve never come across something like this,” Mulaudzi said.

Those inside building occupied it illegally

According to a report by the news agency Reuters,municipalgovernment speaker Colleen Makhubele implied those inside had been occupying it illegally, and that the city had sought but often failed to evict squatters from such buildings.

Photograph:People walk past the 5-storey building after a deadly blaze on August 31, 2023.

They had been to blame for "not heeding to the call of the city to do the right thing..., Makhubele told the country's public broadcaster."Things like this happen ... because the citizens are not willing to understand and work with us in upholding the laws and the bylaws of the city, in understanding what is safe, what is not safe," she added.

Fires are common in Johannesburg as it suffers from chronic power outageswhich cause people toresort to candles for light and wood fires for heat.

Photograph:Firefighters work at the scene of a deadly blaze in Johannesburg.

As per a report by BBC on Thursday, afirefighter told local media that many victims were likely trappedby combustible shack-like structures that had been erected in the building.

In the wake of this tragedy, many citizens on social media condemnedthe online xenophobic attacks that some have made against the victims and survivors of the fire, BBC reported.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE