- At least 63 people were killed and 43 injured Thursday in a fire in the central business district of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, the local government said.
- The city administration said on X platform, formerly known as Twitter, that search and rescue efforts are continuing.
- The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
South African firefighters and South African police officers work at the scene of a fire in Johannesburg on August 31, 2023.
Michelle Spatari | AFP | Getty Images
At least 63 people were killed and 43 injured Thursday in a fire in the central business district of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, the local government said.
The city administration said on X platform, formerly known as Twitter, that search and rescue efforts are continuing.
“Johannesburg City Emergency Management Services can confirm that the death toll has risen to 63,” it said.
Reuters pictures showed firefighters and emergency vehicles at the scene as bodies were covered in emergency blankets on a street close to the site of the early morning fire.
Media said the fire broke out in a five-storey building that was abandoned at one point but where people lived. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
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