Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed to launch a specialised committee to investigate the cause of the deadly Marshalltown fire that killed more than 70 illegal occupants, including a one-year-old toddler.
A committee will be launched to investigate Marshalltown fire
In a statement, Lesufi explained committee would work closely with Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola to ensure a thorough investigation.
One of the primary objectives of this inquiry is to identify the root causes of the inferno and, significantly, the prevalence of hijacked buildings within Johannesburg.
Lesufi highlighted that the Gauteng provincial government is collaborating with various spheres of government to respond effectively to disasters like the Marshalltown fire.
“The province has received a tremendous amount of local and international support, for which the premier has expressed his gratitude. We also appreciate the generous offer to release support to our province by the Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde,” Lesufi said.
Speaking to the media on the scene of the carnage, Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi confirmed rescue services responded to reports of a residential fire at approximately 01:30 on Thursday, 31 August 2023.
Mulaudzi revealed that the five-storey building, situated on the corners of Albert and Delvers Street, in Marshalltown, was a hijacked property.
From what we understand, the abandoned building was illegally occupied.
“We started evacuating people who were inside the building. While we [were] conducting fire-fighting operations, in the process we managed to recover about 20 bodies and about 43 people were treaded for smoke inhalation and also some various injuries,” Mulaudzi revealed.
When this article was published on Friday, the Marshalltown police were at the scene of the scorched building with sniffer dogs to cover the rest of the building, in search of human remains.
Here’s how President Cyril Ramaphosa reacted to the Marshalltown fire:
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