More than 200 people have been left displaced following a deadly building fire incident in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, yesterday morning.
The tragic blaze claimed the lives of four individuals and left three others injured, who were subsequently taken to a nearby hospital. The Johannesburg Emergency Services Management recovered the four bodies during the fire-fighting operation.
The fire has raised serious concerns about hijacked buildings in Johannesburg. Mayor Dada Morero affirmed that action will be taken to address these illegal occupations.
The incident comes less than a year after the Usindiso building fire, which resulted in 77 fatalities and displaced over 150 people. Illegal electrical connections are suspected to have caused the recent blaze as well.
Robert Mulaudzi, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson, stated that the building was never intended for habitation.
Classified as an abandoned industrial site, residents lived there under precarious conditions, using sheet metal to create makeshift partitions. One resident, who had lived in the building for over 20 years, highlighted the unsafe and illegal electrical connections that posed a significant risk.
As the investigation continues, Mayor Morero mentioned that plans are underway to move those affected to temporary shelters.
The city administration is committed to tackling the issue of illegally occupied buildings and aims to repurpose them as enterprise buildings for the youth. Morero emphasized the need to hold property owners accountable and ensure that abandoned buildings are put to constructive use.
@CityofJoburgEMS This is the roof top which residents erected structures on top of the building which caught fire early hours of this morning in Jeppestown. @CityofJoburgZA @CoJPublicSafety pic.twitter.com/rH6uPXQY91
— City of Joburg EMS (@CityofJoburgEMS) August 25, 2024
@CityofJoburgEMS This is how the building looks like from the inside after the fire has been extinguished. @CityofJoburgZA @CoJPublicSafety (RM) pic.twitter.com/fgn0Z2GsZi
— City of Joburg EMS (@CityofJoburgEMS) August 25, 2024
