At least 73 people have died and dozens more were injured after a fire tore through a five-story building in central Johannesburg which housed “hundreds” of informal settlements.
The fire has now been extinguished, rescue officials said, and emergency services are conducting recovery operations.
More than 50 other people were injured, according to Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesperson for the city’s emergency services.
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Videos taken moments after the fire broke out show huge orange flames engulfing the lower floor of a building and scores of people standing outside.
Photos from Thursday morning showed onlookers crowding around burnt out and cordoned off areas, broken glass windows, and clothes strewn around the building.
The blaze was reported at around 1.30am local time.
It took place in a “hijacked” building in central Johannesburg, Mulaudzi said, referring to what he said were “hundreds” of settlements inside.
“At this stage the cause of the fire incident is still a subject of investigations,” a statement from the emergency services read.
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