At least 73 people died in a house fire in Johannesburg

People react after a deadly fire in Johannesburg Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed/Reuters

Officials confirmed that the building belonged to the city but was surrendered leased to an unnamed NGO.

According to them, this quarter later fell into disrepair and then was converted into an informal settlement, becoming one of the many «occupied buildings» of the city, chock full of people.

< p> p>

For its overflow, officials blamed criminal cartels that «prey on poor and vulnerable people.» Abandoned buildings are often taken over by gangs, partitioned off and rented out as informal housing.

Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesman for the city's emergency services, said: «This is a tragedy for Johannesburg. In my 20 years of service, I have never experienced anything like this.”

The South African Institute for Social and Economic Rights, a human rights organization, accused the local authorities of failing to act quickly enough to stop the destruction of the building.

“The building functioned as a shelter for abused women and children. until the city neglected it, causing the building to fall into disrepair and what the city calls «hijacking,» the post reads.

“Unfortunately, the fire is an example of how the city is handling its shelters, which house many of Johannesburg's poorest and most vulnerable residents. The conditions of shelters and shelters need to be improved urgently, and the people living in them need access to basic services.»

Firefighters stand next to the covered bodies of the victims. Photo: Sifive Sibeko/Reuters

Officials said they were looking into the burglary issue, but warned that there was a severe housing shortage in Johannesburg.

While firefighters searched the remains of an apartment building, a woman frantically searched for her. daughter.

«I hope to see my daughter, I haven't seen my daughter, I desperately want to see her,» a Malawian woman said as the bodies were removed from the scene.

Mgchini Tshvaku, a member of the city's public security committee under the mayor, said: “Inside the building itself, there were [security] gates that were closed so people couldn't get out. Many charred bodies were found at this gate.”

One of the residents, 20-year-old Ntombizodwa Nkube, told news site News24 that she had lived in a hut on the block for the past year. She woke up at one in the morning and saw her neighbor's hut burning and said: «He said he forgot to blow out the candle and ran away.»

She said: “I woke up my boyfriend, but the last time I saw him, he was standing in front of our hut. I don't know what happened to him. I didn't see him, and I don't know if he is among the dead.”

The witness, who did not give his name, told eNCA that he lived in the building next door. and heard people screaming for help and yelling «We're dying here» when the fire started.

Migrants from nearby Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are expected to be among the dead.

Ngkabuto Mabhena, a Zimbabwean living nearby, said: “There are a few migrants left. They are peddlers and do small piece work, so they lived in that building where they were paid 200 rand [£10] a month, and every month people come and take this money.”

The fire seems to be one of the deadliest in recent years in the whole world. In 2017, a fire at the Grenfell Tower in London killed 72 people, and in 2021, 82 people died as a result of a fire at the Ibn al-Khatib hospital in Baghdad.