The local administration of Johannesburg reported that at least 73 people have died and 43 others were injured in a fire that broke out in the central business district of South Africa's largest city on Thursday. The administration stated via "X" that search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
Media outlets indicated that the fire started in a five-story building, and the cause is not yet clear. A spokesperson for Johannesburg's emergency management said that the cause of the fire is under investigation and it broke out around 1:30 AM local time (11:30 PM GMT on Wednesday).
A local administration spokesperson implied that those inside the building were living there illegally, and the municipality had unsuccessfully attempted to remove them from such buildings, blaming them for not complying with the city's demands.
