Joburg Fire: Death Toll Rises To 63, More Deaths Expected

At least 63 people have been killed in a fire in a multi-storey building in South Africa’s biggest city, authorities have said.

Officials said dozens more were also injured in the blaze in Johannesburg, which broke out in the middle of the night.

Robert Mulaudzi, a emergency services spokesman, has warned that the number of fatalities may rise further – as more people could be trapped inside.

“There is a huge possibility that the body count could be over 60 because we are going from floor to floor,” he told News24.

Read Also: Over 20 People Die, 43 Injured In Joburg CBD Building Fire

At least one child is among the dead – and people looking for their loved ones have been warned that chances of finding them alive are “very slim”.

The building in the central business district has been described as an “informal settlement” where homeless people had moved in looking for accommodation.

According to witnesses, at least 200 people may have been living there.

Firefighters evacuated occupants after arriving at the scene – but now, a search and recovery operation is under way. Bodies lay covered on the street.

Authorities said the fire had been largely extinguished, but smoke still seeped out of windows of the blackened building.