Building fire in South Africa’s Johannesburg kills at least 58, injures 43

South African authorities said a fire at a multi-story building in Johannesburg killed at least 58 people and 43 injured. At least one child was reported dead. The death toll is expected to increase as rescue operations go on.

Emergency services explained the building had become an “informal settlement” of homeless people, making the operations difficult.

Witnesses told media that the now-charred building was occupied by nearly 200 people. Authorities said the fire had been largely extinguished, but smoke still seeped out of windows of the blackened building downtown.

Strings of sheets and other materials also hung out of some windows. It was not clear if people had used those to try and escape the fire or if they were trying to save their possessions.

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“Over 20 years in the service, I’ve never come across something like this,” Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudz said, as per news agency Associated Press.

(With AP inputs)