South African authorities have reported that a building fire in Johannesburg has tragically claimed the lives of 64 people. Additionally, more than 40 individuals have been injured in the incident.
Authorities in Johannesburg are uncertain about the cause of the fire in a five-story building at the city center. A spokesperson for emergency services, Robert Mulaudzi, informed BBC that firefighters managed to evacuate some of the residents.
He mentioned that the fire has destroyed the building and the search for other victims is ongoing. "We are systematically searching each floor for bodies," said Mr. Mulaudzi to the local broadcaster ENCA.
A video shared by Mr. Mulaudzi on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, displays fire trucks and ambulances near the building with burnt-out windows. Images from the scene depict covered bodies lined up near the burned structure.
The building is located in a former business district of South Africa's economic hub. According to Mr. Mulaudzi, it was used as an informal settlement. Local reports indicate that the inner-city area is known for "hijacked" buildings - a term used in South Africa to describe structures illegally occupied by undocumented migrants.
It is also believed that the building's occupants were mostly migrants from other African countries. After the fire, many South Africans on social media condemned xenophobic attacks online, which some directed towards the victims and survivors of the blaze.
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