At least 52 people died in a fire in a multi-story building in South Africa’s biggest city Johannesburg, emergency services said on Thursday (August 31).

As many as 43 people sustained injuries in the blaze which broke out in the predawn hours on Thursday, Emergency Management Services said.

Spokesman Robert Mulaudzi that a search and rescue operation was underway.

“Death toll is likely to rise,” Mulaudzi said.

The firefighters were rushed to the spot and 52 bodies have been pulled out so far, he said, adding that more people may be trapped inside.

“At least one child was among the dead,” Mulaudzi said.

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 of the windows. It was not clear if people had used those to try and escape the fire or if they were trying to save their possessions.

According to Mulaudzi, the building was effectively an “informal settlement” where homeless people had moved in search of accommodation without any formal lease agreements.

There might have been as many as 200 people living in the building, according to the witnesses.

(With AP inputs)

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