A fireplace tore by way of a constructing in downtown Johannesburg early Thursday morning, killing a minimum of 58 individuals and injuring dozens of others, metropolis officers mentioned.
The authorities had been nonetheless attempting to find out what prompted the blaze, which consumed a five-story deserted constructing that had been overtaken by squatters and had develop into a sprawling casual settlement.
Mgcini Tshwaku, a Johannesburg metropolis councilman who oversees public security, mentioned that when he arrived on the scene, the construction was in flames and folks had been leaping out of it. It’s considered one of many dilapidated buildings within the metropolis the place individuals with out locations to remain have taken up residence, Mr. Tshwaku mentioned in an interview on ENCA, a South African tv information station.
Individuals usually mild fires inside these casual settlements to maintain heat, Mr. Tshwaku mentioned. Many deserted buildings within the metropolis have been taken over due to a scarcity of inexpensive housing, he mentioned.
It is a growing story.
