The building in the central business district has been described as an 'informal settlement' where homeless people had moved in looking for accommodation.
At least 73 people have been killed in a fire in a multi-storey building in South Africa's biggest city, authorities have said.
Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesman for the emergency services, has warned the number of fatalities may rise further - as more people could be trapped inside.Firefighters work at the scene of a deadly blaze One woman looking for her daughter tearfully told reporters:"This is not a place where somebody can live. I was trying to get her to come back home so she could get back to the life she was living before."Firefighters evacuated occupants after arriving at the scene - but now, a search and recovery operation is under way. Bodies lay covered on the street.
Abandoned and rundown buildings are common in the area, and are often used by people desperately seeking accommodation.Strings of sheets and other material hung out of windows - and it is unclear whether people were using them to try and escape.
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