South Africa Apartment Building Blaze Kills at least 73

dpa

(TNS)

Johannesburg — At least 73 people have died in a devastating blaze in a building in the centre of the South African metropolis of Johannesburg.

At least 52 other people were injured, wrote Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesman for the local rescue service, on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

He said the rescue and recovery operation was continuing. Dozens of residents had been evacuated, Mulaudzi said.

Mgcini Tshwaku, a public security official for Johannesburg, told the eNCA television station that it was an illegally occupied building.

As there is no electricity supply in such buildings, it is suspected that candles or a cooking fire could have caused the fire, Tshwaku said. No official investigation had been concluded so far, he said.

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