2023 Johannesburg building fire

On 31 August 2023, a fire burned down an illegally occupied abandoned building in Johannesburg, South Africa. The fire killed 77 people and badly hurt 88 others.^[1][2][3] It was one of the deadliest fires in South African history.^[4]

2023 Johannesburg building fire

Front of the building and back of the building following the fire.
Date	31 August 2023; 12 months ago (2023-08-31)
Time	01:30 SAST
Location	80 Albert Street, Marshalltown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Coordinates	26°12′30″S 28°02′57″E
Deaths	77
Non-fatal injuries	88

Fire

The fire started early in the morning on 31 August 2023, in the Central Business District. It was at a five-story abandoned building on the corner of Delvers and Albert Streets that is owned by the city government and was taken over by gangs.^[5] It was being illegally occupied by as many as 400^[6] impoverished people. Many of them were foreign nationals, economic migrants, and asylum seekers. The gangs were charging the illegal occupants rent.^[5] The cause of the fire is not currently known. It spread through the building and trapped many people. Many were trapped because of the weak partitions and gates between makeshift rooms made by residents.^[6][7][8]

Many residents jumped out of the windows of the building to escape. Some of them did not survive the jump.^[9]

Aftermath

Some people who survived the fire would not get on buses to be moved to community halls after the fire. They were worried that the relocation would be used by government officials as an excuse to deport them. They also did not want to leave behind the remains of their possessions in the burnt building.^[9]

Response

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the site of the fire after it happened.^[10] Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said that there would be an inquiry into the fire.^[11] Government officials said that NGOs, who stopped the government from evicting people in similar buildings.^[12][13][14] NGOs and people who own property in the city said that the City of Johannesburg was supposed to take care of buildings and enforce safety rules.^[15] South Africa's courts have ruled that evictions cannot happen unless the people being evicted are given a different place to live under the 1998 Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act.^[16][17]

References

1. Cocks, Tim; Plessis, Carien du (2023-09-01). "Sniffer dogs search for clues in ashes of deadly South African fire". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
2. Seeletsa, Molefe (2023-09-01). "'Most survivors broke their limbs,' says Phaahla as death toll increases in Joburg fire". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
3. McCain, Nicole (4 September 2023). "Joburg fire: Families of unidentifiable victims urged to come forward with DNA samples". News24.
4. Imray, Gerald; Magome, Mogomotsi (31 August 2023). "At least 74 are dead, many of them homeless, as fire rips through a rundown building in South Africa". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
5. Bartlett, Kate (1 September 2023). "With Johannesburg's building fire, the misery of gang-hijacked towers comes into focus". NPR. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
6. Allison, Simon (31 August 2023). "Johannesburg fire: survivors describe jumping from windows, as death toll rises to 74". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
7. Imray, Gerald; Magome, Mogomotsi (31 August 2023). "A building fire in Johannesburg kills at least 73 people, many of them homeless, authorities say". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
8. "Joburg inner city building fire claims at least 73 lives". Central News South Africa. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
9. Bhengu, Cebelihle; Pheto, Belinda; Nqunjana, Alfonso (1 September 2023). "'We don't know how to help them': Residents of burnt building refuse help for fear of deportation". News24. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
10. Granville, Samantha (31 August 2023). "Johannesburg fire 'wake-up call', President Ramaphosa says". BBC News. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
11. "Joburg Fire: Committee of Inquiry to be set up". eNCA. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
12. Mafata, Masego (31 August 2023). "NGOs respond to being blamed for Johannesburg fire". GroundUp. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
13. "City of Johannesburg's wake up call: fire at Usindiso Shelter for Women and Children". SERI. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
14. Njilo, Nonkululeko (31 August 2023). "City of Johannesburg points finger at NGOs and foreign nationals after deadly fire". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
15. Haffajee, Ferial (31 August 2023). "City of Joburg shuttered task team that should have cleaned up building in which 73 died". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
16. Allison, Simon (1 September 2023). "Grief and anger after Johannesburg blaze that killed at least 74". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
17. Granville, Samantha (2 September 2023). "Johannesburg fire: Hijacks and death traps in a crumbling South African city centre". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.