Fire Engulfs Building In South Africa, 73 Dead

A fire that engulfed a five-storey building taken over for illegal housing has killed over 70 people including children in central Johannesburg on Thursday, the South African city’s emergency services said.

Another 52 were injured in what is to become one of the deadliest fires worldwide in recent years.

Bodies were seen piled up at a security gate that was closed preventing people escaping the blaze, an official disclosed.

City authorities said the building in a deprived crime-ridden area had been turned into illegal housing after being abandoned.

According to one resident, many of those living there were foreigners.

“We have now 73 fatalities and 52 people injured who were transported to various healthcare facilities for further medical care,” Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said.

At least seven children were among those killed by the flames, the youngest under two years old, he added. Some were left burned beyond recognition.

“I’m grateful to be alive, there was a lot of us running, trying to find the fire exit and a lot of people eventually died because of the smoke inhalation,” said Kenny Bupe, a survivor caught up in the blaze while visiting a friend.

The 28-year-old said that he was part of a group that managed to break open a locked fire escape gate and run to safety, while others “jumped out” of the windows to save themselves.

Firefighters at the scene have put out the flames and are “busy with damping down”, while search and recovery operations are ongoing, Mulaudzi said.

“We are moving floor by floor conducting these body recoveries,” he said.

“It is indeed a sad day for the city of Johannesburg… over 20 years in the service, I’ve never come across something like this,” Mulaudzi said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze, which broke out overnight.