Over 60 dead, 43 injured as deadly fire engulfs Johannesburg building; check details

As investigations continue, the exact cause of the fire remains uncertain. The incident was reported to Johannesburg's emergency services around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday

A devastating fire that ripped through a five-story building in the heart of Johannesburg has resulted in a tragic death toll of 63, as confirmed by the city's emergency services. According to spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi, the count of injured individuals currently stands at 43.

In a united effort, emergency services and firefighters are laboring to extinguish the flames that have engulfed the building, as reported by the public broadcaster SABC.

Horrifying videos from the scene depict massive orange flames consuming the lower levels of the structure, with numerous individuals apparently having escaped to the outdoors.

Through a series of tweets posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Robert Mulaudzi, the spokesperson for the emergency services, conveyed that multiple individuals were undergoing treatment, with some having been transferred to healthcare facilities.

As investigations continue, the exact cause of the fire remains uncertain, as reported by SABC. The incident was reported to Johannesburg's emergency services around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.

The statement released by Johannesburg's emergency services expressed, "At this point, the origin of the fire incident remains under investigation." It further noted, "City of Johannesburg Disaster Management officials have been mobilized to commence providing aid to the affected families."