Update

Pictures: At least 74 killed, over 60 injured in Johannesburg building fire

The cause of the fire is not yet known and is under investigation

Published: August 31, 2023 11:07 Last updated: September 01, 2023 06:10 Compiled by Balaram Menon, Senior Web Editor, with inputs from agencies

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At least 74 people died when a fire ripped through a multi-story building in Johannesburg that had been overtaken by homeless people, emergency services said. Image Credit: REUTERS

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More than 60 people were injured in the blaze that broke out in the predawn hours. Spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said another said the death toll was likely to still increase in what he described as effectively “an informal settlement.” Image Credit: AFP

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“Over 20 years in the service, I’ve never come across something like this,” Mulaudzi said. Image Credit: AP

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Firefighters stand next to covered bodies of victims at the scene of a deadly blaze, in Johannesburg. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Firefighters work at the scene of a deadly blaze in the early hours of the morning, in Johannesburg. Image Credit: REUTERS

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A search and recovery operation was underway and firefighters were moving through the building, Mulaudzi said. Image Credit: AP

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Authorities said the fire had been largely extinguished, but smoke still seeped out of windows of the blackened building downtown. Image Credit: AFP

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Strings of sheets and other materials also hung out of some windows. It was not clear if people had used those to try and escape the fire or if they were trying to save their possessions. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Local residents gather on the scene of a deadly blaze in downtown Johannesburg. Image Credit: AP

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Mulaudzi said homeless people had moved into the building without any formal lease agreements. He said that made it hard to search the building. Image Credit: AP

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There might have been as many as 200 people living in the building, witnesses said. Image Credit: via REUTERS

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Firefighters walk at the scene of a deadly blaze, in Johannesburg. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Smoke billows out of a building at the sceen of a fire in Johannesburg. Image Credit: AFP

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