Scene of a horrific apartment fire in Johannesburg, South Africa

An apartment fire in Johannesburg (South Africa) killed 74 people and injured 61 others, and is considered one of the most dangerous fires in the world in recent years.

Hiện trường đám cháy chung cư kinh hoàng ở Johannesburg

In the early morning of August 31, a fire broke out and burned down an apartment building in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the photo, smoke rises from the burning building. (Source: Reuters)

Firefighters work at the scene of a horrific fire that killed dozens of people in downtown Johannesburg. (Source: AP)

The building in the central business district was described as an “informal settlement” where homeless people lived. Witnesses said at least 200 people lived in the building. In this photo, people gather at the scene of the horrific fire. (Source: AP)

The fire killed at least 74 people and injured 61. (Source: Reuters)

Local authorities have blocked off some roads in the area to allow vehicles and firefighters to move, while residents of surrounding buildings were evacuated as a precaution against possible safety risks. (Source: AP)

Johannesburg City Manager Floyd Brink said that in 2019, city security forces raided the building and arrested 140 foreigners for illegally collecting rent. (Source: AP)

The fire was largely extinguished after three hours, but smoke was still billowing from charred windows, local authorities said. The building is located in what was once the commercial district of South Africa’s economic heartland. (Source: AP)

Illegal occupation of abandoned buildings in downtown Johannesburg is widespread, many of which are believed to be under the control of criminal syndicates. (Source: AP)

South Africa is the most industrialized economy in Africa. It attracts millions of migrants, many of them undocumented, from other African countries. According to the Johannesburg government, the city has about 15,000 homeless people. (Source: AP)

The bodies were gathered in one place to be transported to the funeral site. (Source: AP)

Residents described a truly horrifying scene, with dozens of bodies lying all over the ground. (Source: AP)

The cause of the building fire has not yet been determined, but there are signs that people lit a fire inside the building to keep warm. (Source: Reuters)