Joburg Inferno Survivors Narrate Ordeal
The fire has killed at least 73 people and injured more than 50 people.
Joburg Inferno Survivors Narrate Ordeal
Some of the survivors of the Joburg CBD building that caught fire in the early hours on Thursday morning have told the stories of how they saw death facing them and how they leaped out of the windows to survive the blazing inferno.
The fire, which started around 1:30 a.m. on 31 August 2023, killed at least 73 people and injured more than 50 people. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Zimbo Found with Hundreds of Stolen iPhones in Joburg
One of the survivors, Jagg Master from Malawi, told ZiMoja that he had to jump from the fourth-floor window to save his life.
I had a choice to burn alive or jump.
He added that the fire was coming from the third floor with smoke everywhere.
Jagg Master revealed that he thinks he twisted his ankle when he jumped from the burning building.
I could hear the screams across the whole building. I went straight to the balcony and prayed before jumping down.
My ankle and thighs hurt, I think they are twisted, I hope they are not broken.
Jagg Master said that he has friends from his country who stay in the same building.
I am yet to see any of my friends and I pray that they are still alive.
I am praying that they are fine wherever they are because it was chaos last night and it was hard to keep track of our loved ones.
Another survivor, Saadi Juma, revealed he also survived the raging fire by also jumping through the window.
I was asleep in my room which is on the third floor when I was woken by the sound of screams and people running in the corridors.
I woke up and reached for the door when I saw a huge blaze and I went back inside my room, reached for the window and jumped downstairs on the ground.
I am injured and I’m still in disbelief about how I managed, but I am grateful to be alive.
He added that his brothers and cousins were also inside the building when the fire broke out.
Joburg Inferno Survivors Narrate Ordeal
They stayed in different rooms in the building and I have not seen them.
I have lost everything I owned and I can’t really afford to lose my siblings in a foreign country.
The fire occurred in the Central Business District at a five-story abandoned building at the corner of Delvers and Albert Streets that was being used as informal housing by homeless people seeking shelter.
Witnesses say there had been up to 200 people living in the building.