Baby dead and over 1‚000 people displaced after fire in Malboro building

16 July 2017 - 11:21 By Kgaugelo Masweneng
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Police tape.
Police tape.
Image: Supplied

A one-year-old child is dead and over 1‚000 people have been displaced after a fire in a building in Malboro‚ Johannesburg‚ on Saturday night‚ the city’s emergency management services said.

EMS spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said the cause of the fire was unknown at this stage but 120 shacks erected inside the abandoned building on the corner of 4th and 5th avenues had been gutted.

A one-year-old child died after succumbing to smoke inhalation and burns all over the body‚ he said.

Mulaudzi added that the City's Disaster Management officials were working tirelessly to ensure that relief was brought to the victims and the impact of their losses minimised.

Other City stakeholders were also on site to facilitate the relief process.

Mulaudzi urges residents to be cautious this weekend as the cold front rolls in over most parts of Gauteng including Johannesburg. He appealed to residents to be vigilant with regards to the use of heating devices.

“Make sure that heating devices are not left unattended while in use and refrain from using dangerous make-shift heaters so that we can prevent fire incidents‚” he said.

"As the City’s emergency management services‚ we have already launched our Winter Fire Safety Campaign in the beginning of June targeting all our most vulnerable communities at 189 informal settlements throughout the city and will continue with our efforts throughout the winter season‚" said Mulaudzi.

- TimesLIVE

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