Residents of a complex that was gutted by fire last night in Midrand are trying to pick up the pieces after they lost everything. It's reported that the fire broke out at around 9pm last night on the top floor of the Broadwalk Urban Village building. Residents said they lost everything in the fire.
CAUSE OF FIRE INVESTIGATED
City of Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said firefighters managed to evacuate residents from the 130 units at the complex last night. According to Khumalo, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and no fatalities were recorded. "We only have one person who was transferred to the nearest health facility," she said. Khumalo said the cause of the fire is unknown at the moment and that it will be investigated. "The cause of the fire will be investigated as soon as firefighting operations are completed."
PICKING UP THE PIECES
A resident who spoke to the media outside the complex this morning said that they have had to stay outside the building since last night as they had nowhere else to go. "We are waiting for the owners of the complex to tell us what the way forward is because we lost everything in the fire. We are just sitting outside here, with no official correspondence. Hopefully they have alternative accommodation for us because where do you start to look for another place without documentation or a single blanket?" the resident said. Another resident told EWN that he was about to sleep with his wife and seven-year-old son around 21:20pm when he heard a lot of screaming and running around the complex. "I opened my window to see what was happening and saw a huge flame. I just told my wife to calm down as I was going to jump out the window and told her to throw our son to me. Which we did and she followed," the resident said. It's alleged that the fire started inside a unit where the tenants were not home at the time of the fire. Khumalo pleaded with residents to ensure that all electrical appliances are switched off after use. "We urge residents of Johannesburg to scrutinise accommodation facilities before taking residency," Khumalo said.
