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INNER-CITY BLAZE

Images of heartbreak, death and dying from the Johannesburg fire

The tragic fire that claimed the lives of adults, children, and babies was met with an unflinching response from emergency personnel.
Images of heartbreak, death and dying from the Johannesburg fire City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Firefighters are currently responding to a five storey building reported earlier on this morning in Johannesburg Innercity,Corner Alberts and Delvers around 01h30. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Felix Dlangamandla
By Felix Dlangamandla
31 Aug 2023
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When an image requires no caption. Bodies of some of those who died in the devastating fire are lined up, some covered in blankets, others already in body bags. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Firefighters are currently responding to a five storey building reported earlier on this morning in Johannesburg inner-city, Corner Alberts and Delvers around 01h30.<br>(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Firefighters were on Thursday morning still dousing the fire in the condemned building. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Firefighters respond to a five storey building where 77 people lost their lives. 31 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Johannesburg emergency personnel were stretched to capacity as they responded to the fire which started around 1.30am on Thursday. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services firefighters respond to the Usindiso building fire in Marshalltown, Johannesburg on 31 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
The fire was still burning early on Thursday morning as emergency workers got it under control and retrieved the dead bodies of adults, children and babies. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services firefighters respond to the Usindiso building fire in Marshalltown, Johannesburg. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Onlookers watch as emergency personnel work at the scene of the devastating fire. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Firefighters are currently responding to a five storey building reported earlier on this morning in Johannesburg Innercity,Corner Alberts and Delvers around 01h30.<br>(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
A firefighter looks out a window of the devastated building. At 11.30am on Thursday, emergency workers were working on the 4th and 5th storey. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Firefighters are currently responding to a five storey building reported earlier on this morning in Johannesburg Innercity,Corner Alberts and Delvers around 01h30.<br>(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Emergency workers converge at the entrance to the burnt building. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
The smouldering five-storey Usindiso building in the Johannesburg CBD after the deadly blaze on 31 August 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Fire services douse the last flames enabling emergency workers to access the building safely in search of survivors and to retrieve bodies. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
The burnt-out shell of the Usindiso building at 80 Albert Street, Marshalltown, shortly after the blaze that killed 76 people. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)<br>(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
All five storeys of the building either burnt or were impacted by the smoke. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Emergency personnel about to transport one of the survivers outside the burnt out building.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Emergency personnel load a survivor into an ambulance. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Forensic experts working on the scene of the deceased outside the burnt out building.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Forensic experts working on the scene where the deceased had been placed outside the burnt out building. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) DM

Comments (2)

Russell Hendry Aug 31, 2023, 12:19 PM

How can this be allowed to happen? Back to basics.

David C Aug 31, 2023, 12:42 PM

And now the blame game amongst the City Of Joburg departments will start. It's not going to be anyone's fault and the only people fired will be the security guard and some minor Property department official. Senior managers and the political gangsters will send their thoughts and prayers to the affected families and make sad faces and shake their heads, and then go home and open a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue and tell their spouses what a tough day they had. In the end they'll blame Jan Van Riebeek and Apartheid and the DA.

Robert K Aug 31, 2023, 04:34 PM

The guard and official will be suspended with full pay for a few years and then redeployed.