- Deadly Fire in Johannesburg’s Central Business District
- Tragic Loss of Lives and Injuries
- Challenges and Issues in the Area of the Fire
The building in the central business district has been described as an “informal settlement” inhabited by homeless individuals seeking shelter.
Authorities have reported that a fire in a multi-story building in South Africa’s largest city has killed at least 74 people.
The fire in Johannesburg, which broke out in the middle of the night, reportedly injured an additional 55 people.
Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesman for the emergency services, has issued a warning that the number of fatalities could grow, as more people may be trapped inside.
There were “obstacles” everywhere, which would have escaped difficult.
Firefighters are presently working their way through the five-story building, one floor at a time.
“In my twenty years of service, I’ve never encountered anything like this,” Mr. Mulaudzi said.
Witnesses observed individuals throwing infants from the burning building to save them, and at least one individual leaped to his death.
Seven of the victims were infants, with the youngest victim being only one year old.
A woman who escaped the fire with her adult son and a toddler stated that she did not know what happened to her two other children.
The building in the central business district has been described as an “informal settlement” inhabited by homeless individuals seeking shelter. Some victims may have rented accommodations from criminal organizations.
According to witnesses, at least 200 individuals, and possibly more, were residing there, the majority of whom were foreign nationals.
People searching for missing loved ones have been warned that the likelihood of discovering them alive is “extremely remote.”
A woman searching for her daughter told reporters in tears, “This is not a place where anyone can live.” I attempted to convince her to return home so she could resume her previous lifestyle.”
Upon arrival, firefighters evacuated occupants; however, a search and recovery operation is now underway. Covered bodies sprawled on the street.
Authorities reported that the fire was largely extinguished, but smoke still trickled out of the building’s windows. It required three hours to control.
Abandoned and dilapidated structures are prevalent in the area, and people in desperate need of housing frequently occupy them.
They are referred to as “hijacked buildings,” and according to the government, this calamity illustrates a “chronic problem” in the province, where at least 1,2 million people require housing.
A sign at the building’s entrance indicates that it was a building with ties to South Africa’s apartheid past, where black South Africans could obtain documents permitting them to work in white-owned areas.
During a press conference, a reporter inquired if more should have been done to assist the building’s residents before the fire. He was told that his question was “dramatic” and “insensitive.”
Strings of sheets and other materials hung from shattered windows, serving as improvised ropes for those attempting to escape.
A resident of a nearby block heard people crying for assistance and yelling “We’re dying in here”
It has not yet been determined what caused the fire, but there are indications that people ignited fires inside the building to stay warm. Initial evidence implies that a candle ignited the fire.
This is one of South Africa’s worst such catastrophes in recent memory.
Also Johannesburg is one of the most unequal cities in the world, with pervasive poverty and unemployment.
It is plagued by frequent fires and protracted power outages.
