By: Natasha Archary
Two children aged 5 and 7-years old have died in a Hillbrow apartment fire on Wednesday, 21 June.
The bodies of the minor children, believed to be siblings, were found by paramedics burnt beyond recognition.
It is at this stage unclear how the fire started, but the children were reportedly left alone in the locked apartment.
Director of Inner City Regeneration in the office of the Executive Mayor, Thabo Maisela speaks to Phemelo Motene on Point of View about a fire that broke out.
Listen to the full conversation here:
According to Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi, the children succumbed to smoke inhalation and were unfortunately trapped inside the first floor apartment.
Mulaudzi said the fire spread to four floors of the apartment block in the Florence Nightingale building in Hillbrow, JHB CBD.
“The fire has since been extinguished, and our crew just recovered the bodies of two young children, believed to be between the ages of 5 and 7-years old. They were left inside the flat.
Both children succumbed to smoke inhalation and lost their lives. There were no other injuries. The cause of the fire is still subject to investigation.”
Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi
Meanwhile, the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Research Institute is requesting a meeting with City of Joburg Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda and the City Manager over the unsafe and inhabited building.
Senior representatives from Wits say the building is illegally occupied, having been condemned and deemed unsafe for human habitation for years.
“This building has been condemned and deemed unfit for human habitation. There have been multiple conversations at multiple levels in the city of how this building is a fire trap and a disaster waiting to happen.
Yesterday two children have died in a fire and we need action to happen to prevent further tragedy.
The history of this goes all the way back to 2006 when Wits RHI first came into the Hillbrow Health Precinct.”
Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Research Institute
Wits representatives are hoping to meet with City of Joburg officials on Thursday, 22 June.
Also read: “Dead” woman wakes up in her coffin, only to die again a few days later
