According to local media and an emergency worker, a fire at a multistory building in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa, has resulted in at least 52 fatalities and more than 40 persons being hospitalized for injuries.
According to Robert Mulaudzi, a spokeswoman for Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, the blaze on Thursday morning destroyed a building in the city’s central business center, and the death toll was still rising with 52 bodies having been found so far.
“Latest update 52 bodies recovered and 43 injured still continuing with search and recovery,” Mulaudzi said in a post on social media.
According to Mulaudzi, the injured are being treated at “a number of healthcare facilities.”
According to the online news source News24 in South Africa, the cause of the fire is not yet determined.