A residential building in Johannesburg was engulfed in flames early on Sunday, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives and injuries to four individuals, according to city officials. The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services stated that search and rescue operations were ongoing at the two-story building affected by the fire.
Officials, including a spokesperson for the city's emergency management services, conveyed that the firefighting efforts were still in progress, and it remained uncertain how many individuals might still be trapped within the building. A comprehensive investigation into the fire's cause will be initiated once the firefighting operations conclude, as per the officials' statements.
This incident follows a devastating event last August, wherein over 70 lives were lost in a fire that swept through a dilapidated, five-story apartment block in Johannesburg. This tragedy underscored the prevailing housing crisis in the city, characterized by issues such as poverty, household fires, and homelessness. An inquiry is currently ongoing to ascertain accountability for the August blaze, emphasizing the challenges associated with illegal occupations of buildings in Johannesburg's inner city.
