Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
31 August 2023 | 12:29pm SAST
1-min read

Picture: Jo’burg Emergency Services

Johannesburg- Seventy-three people lost their lives in a fire that broke out at the corner of Delvers and Albert streets in Marshalltown in the Johannesburg CBD. The five-storey Osindiso building caught alight early this morning and 73 people have reportedly lost their lives in the blaze.

Emergency Medical Services treated over 50 patients at the scene for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, then transferred them to healthcare facilities for further medical care.

Jo’burg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said that firefighters searching the building one storey at a time. At the time of the report, the search had not been completed. “At this stage, we have got 73 fatalities… the number might actually increase as the day progresses. We are going floor-by-floor to make sure that we remove any uncertainty in terms of people who might still be trapped inside the building.”

At this stage, the cause of the fire is the subject of EMS investigations.

According to Mulaudzi, the structure is an abandoned building, and the fire’s origin is as yet unknown. It could be attributed to various factors, including illegal electrical connections or heating appliances like paraffin stoves.

Radio Islam International on Instagram: “EMS Spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi updates on JHB Fire”