73 people were killed, and about 50 more were injured after a fire erupted in a Central Business District building in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Robert Mulaudzi, spokesperson for the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, said they were informed that the five-story building was on fire at around 01:30 local time on Thursday.
South African officials said the fire has now been extinguished.
Authorities are still investigating as to what caused the blaze, and officials from the City of Johannesburg Disaster Management have started facilitating relief for affected families.
Reports say the building had been turned into informal housing and that the fire broke out at a time when many people inside the building were asleep.
Authorities also described the building as “highjacked,” a term for abandoned and broken-down buildings that have been occupied by people who cannot afford proper housing.
Reports say the building was owned by Johannesburg City, and is considered a heritage site; however, it is not regulated by the local government.
