At least 64 dead in Johannesburg building fire 

The death toll from a Johannesburg building fire in Marshalltown has risen to 64. 

The number of people injured stands at 43, according to emergency services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi. A fire has now been extinguished, rescue officials said, and emergency services are conducting recovery operations.

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Videos taken moments after the fire broke out show huge orange flames engulfing the lower floor of a five-story building in the Gauteng Province.

It is reported that there were hundreds of informal settlements inside the building. The fire was reported at around 1:30am. 

“At this stage, the cause of the fire incident is still a subject of investigation,” said Mulaudzi.

“Officials from the City of Johannesburg Disaster Management have been activated to start facilitating relief for affected families.”

64 PEOPLE DIED IN JOHANNESBURG BUILDING FIRE IN MARSHALLTOWN 

Firefighters evacuated occupants after arriving at the scene – but now, a search and recovery operation is underway. Bodies lay covered on the street.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established.