Authorities said many homeless people had moved into the building in Johannesburg, the nation's largest city, making it hard to search the structure.
— At least 73 people died when a fire ripped through a five-story building in Johannesburg that had been overtaken by homeless people, officials said Thursday. A social media post on the city administration's official account confirmed the latest death toll, adding that at least 52 others were injured.Johannesburg spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said earlier that the blaze that broke out in the predawn hours and many of the victims were suffering from smoke inhalation.
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 wasn't clear if people had used those to try and escape the fire or if they were trying to save their possessions.
"Inside the building itself there was a gate which was closed so people couldn't get out," he said."Many burned bodies were found stashed at that gate."
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