Identification of Victims Begins Following Departure of Emergency Teams from South African Fire Site

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Emergency response units have vacated the location of one of South Africa’s most devastating urban fires, paving the way for forensic pathologists to commence the grim duty of identifying a multitude of burnt bodies and severed body parts. These remains have been sent to multiple mortuaries throughout Johannesburg.

The process aims to confirm whether the existing death toll of 74 will increase in the wake of the early-morning fire last Thursday in a neglected city-center apartment building, primarily occupied by the homeless and socially marginalized individuals of one of Africa’s largest metropolises.

Three comprehensive searches of the five-story structure were conducted by emergency teams, who report that all bodies and body parts have been removed, according to Nana Radebe, a spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Services. Radebe further noted that the gutted edifice has now been transferred to the jurisdiction of law enforcement and forensic experts for additional examinations.

Some of the victims’ remains were directed to a mortuary in Soweto, a township on Johannesburg’s southwestern periphery, where relatives started to assemble on Friday morning in response to governmental requests for assistance in identifying the deceased.

Motalatale Modiba, a spokesperson for Gauteng’s Health Department, disclosed that 62 of the bodies were in such an advanced state of decay that identification has become challenging. Thembalethu Mpahlaza, the CEO of Gauteng’s Forensic Pathology Services, stated during a press conference on Thursday that they also discovered various unidentified body parts amid the ruins, and his team needs to determine whether these belong to the already accounted victims or others.

As of early Friday, Radebe confirmed that the official death count remains at 74. The task of identification is further complicated by the fact that many victims are believed to be foreign nationals, possibly residing in South Africa without proper documentation, according to city officials. Local media sources, citing building residents, have reported that a minimum of 20 of the deceased were citizens of Malawi.

The fire consumed a municipality-owned building, which had been effectively deserted by authorities and had become a refuge for impoverished individuals seeking shelter in Johannesburg’s dilapidated central business district. Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda stated that around 200 families were believed to have been living in what are colloquially known as “hijacked buildings.”

The tragedy resulted in at least 12 child fatalities and left over 50 individuals injured, with six in critical condition. Eyewitness accounts revealed familial separations amid the chaos and highlighted that some children were left wandering near the scene, unaware of their family members’ fate.

Accountability for the calamity is also drawing public scrutiny. Preliminary reports indicate that the building was filled with makeshift dwellings, overcrowded rooms, and even occupants in basement parking areas. Security gates were reportedly locked, inhibiting escape, and proper fire escape routes were absent. Some victims were said to have perished near a locked gate while attempting to flee, while others died from injuries sustained from jumping out of windows.

Authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, and South Africa’s Parliament has also called for a comprehensive probe. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who visited the fire scene, attributed the disaster partially to “criminal elements” who had seized control of the building and were leasing spaces to indigent individuals, including both South Africans and foreign migrants.

Hijacked buildings have long been a problematic issue in the heart of Johannesburg, an issue that, as President Ramaphosa emphasized, urgently demands resolution.

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Reported by Imray from Cape Town, South Africa.

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• South African Emergency Services Overview
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• Overview of South Africa’s Parliament
• Statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa on the Fire Tragedy
• Gauteng Health Department Information
• South African Fire Safety Guidelines
• Understanding “Hijacked Buildings” in Johannesburg
• Latest Updates on the Johannesburg Fire from Local Media
• Forensic Pathology Services in Gauteng Province
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