More than 70 people have been killed in a pre-dawn fire that ripped through a multi-story building housing homeless people in South Africa.
It is set to become one of the deadliest fires worldwide in recent years.
Emergency Services spokesman, Robert Mulaudzi said another 52 people were injured in the blaze in Johannesburg, the country’s biggest city.
“We have now 73 fatalities and 52 people injured who were transported to various healthcare facilities for further medical care,” Mulaudzi said.
At least seven children were among those killed by the flames, in what is on track to become one of the deadliest fires worldwide in recent years.
The youngest victim was less than two years old, he said. Some were left burned beyond recognition.
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 told local broadcaster ENCA.
At the location of the incident, an AFP reporter noted that emergency services were still in the process of removing burnt bodies from the building. The bodies were being placed under blankets and sheets on the street outside.
Johannesburg’s city spokesperson, Wayne Mulaudzi, expressed his sorrow, remarking that it was a tragic day for the city. He mentioned that in his more than 20 years of service, he had never encountered a situation like this before.
The exact cause of the fire, which erupted during the night, has not been immediately established.
Mgcini Tshwaku, a member responsible for public safety in the city’s mayoral committee, suggested that the use of candles for illumination within the structure might have been a probable cause for the fire outbreak.
The building, which has been evacuated, is located in a deprived area of what used to be the business district of South Africa’s economic hub and was used as an informal settlement, Mulaudzi said, suggesting many may have been squatting there illegally.
