Two Killed, Four Injured in Residential Building fire in South Africa's Johannesburg

At least two people were reported dead, and two are missing after a fire engulfed Johannesburg CBD. The flames gutted the residential building on Commissioner Street, and at least five people were injured and several others lost all their possessions in the fire. The emergency services responded to the scene on Sunday morning.

The first responders received the report of the fire in a residential building. Onlookers gathered near the fire-ravaged building on the corner of Nugget and Commissioner Streets in the inner city gathered outside. They watched the incident unfold visibly shocked. The residents were evacuated out of the building while the victims were wrapped up in blankets. They had no shoes or jackets on, reports suggest. The eyewitnesses told the local reporters that the fire started at 5 am on Sunday, with emergency services extinguishing the fire. The EMS members were on the scene scouring the building for fatalities.

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Two people have died after a residential building caught fire on Commissioner and Nugget Street, in the Johannesburg CBD.

Two others jumped from the second floor, three were rescued on the balcony and one from the roof.

EMS on site. pic.twitter.com/CE9jmsmU9y

— Nkosi Malinga-Mnisi (@MnisiNkosikhona)

Residents jumped from two-storey building fire in Johannesburg

Many residents resorted to desperate measures such as jumping from the two-storey building fire in Johannesburg's central business district (CBD). Nana Radebe-Kgiba, spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), was quoted saying that rescue operations were still underway. "Two people were found dead as search and rescue operations continue at the building fire. City of Joburg EMS received a call about a residential building fire at Commissioner and Nugget streets in the CBD," said Radebe-Kgiba. 

At least two people jumped from the second floor, while other three were rescued from the building's balcony, according to reports. "The fire spread very quickly, affecting different levels of the building because of the combustible materials used. EMS will conduct preliminary investigations to determine the cause of the fire after firefighting operations are done," Radebe-Kgiba said.