People evacuated as another fire breaks out at hijacked building in Joburg CBD

SCORES of people have been evacuated after a fire broke out in a building in the Joburg CBD early on Friday morning.

Videos from the scene show people, carrying bags, filled with personal belongings walking out of the building while emergency teams can be seen standing off at the scene.

Although unconfirmed at this stage, it is alleged that families had been living in the abandoned building.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Johannesburg EMS spokesperson, Xolile Khumalo said the building is a three-storey building in Marshalltown.

“It appears to be one of the hijacked buildings and there were shacks built inside. The fire started on the ground floor in the three-storey building. Everyone has been evacuated to safety and we have no injuries or casualties,” she said.

She said people were living in the hijacked building and a large number of people have been evacuated. Khumalo said the blaze has been extinguished.

She said firefighters have gone into the building and most of the people were at work or school, so there were no injuries reported.

The fire comes just two weeks after more than 70 people died following a blaze at another building, just two blocks away. At the time, IOL reported that a fire broke out at the five-storey building late last month.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has established a commission of inquiry into the deadly Marshalltown fire. He said the inquiry would have two phases that would look into the circumstances surrounding the fire.

IOL