Johannesburg - Another fire in a Johannesburg CBD building has claimed the lives of at least 63 people and injured another 43.
The Johannesburg Emergency Services has not ruled out more fatalities following a fire that reportedly broke out at a building on Delvers and Albert Streets in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The spokesperson for the Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS), Robert Mulaudzi, confirmed that a residential building in the Johannesburg CBD caught fire overnight, resulting in the deaths of about 63 people.
It is not clear what caused the fire at this stage, but emergency services personnel have been dispatched to the scene on a rescue mission in order to bring the fire under control and save some lives.
Early reports indicated that 10 people were confirmed dead in the early hours of the morning.
The fire is said to have affected a building on the corner of Delvers and Albert Streets. Mulaudzi, in a brief statement, said multiple others were treated on the scene and dispatched to various hospitals.
Later on, Mulaudzi updated the death toll, saying it had risen to 14, while yet another update pointed to an increase in fatalities to 18 and 43 injuries.
Mulaudzi said firefighters attended to reports of a fire that broke out and caused injury and fatalities to residents of a five-story building.
‘’Our latest update indicates that the total number of fatalities is now 18 and 43 injured. Our search for recovery continues. City of Joburg Emergency Services are still attending to the fire in the Johannesburg CBD on Corner Delvers and Albert Streets,’’ he said.
Just before 8:30, Mulaudzi confirmed that 63 people had died and 43 people were transported to various healthcare facilities.
The fire incident was preceded by a tremor in parts of Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Mulaudzi said the earthquake had not caused any reported injuries or damage to properties in the city.
According to the Council for Geoscience, the tremor was recorded at 2.7 magnitude and happened just before 10pm.
The Star