Woman Arrested for Arson After Johannesburg CBD Fire Kills 2, Authorities Investigate

• The fire that broke out in a building in the CBD claimed two lives, and SAPS made headway with the investigation
• Authorities have been working to determine what happened which caused the tragedy in Johannesburg city centre
• So far, there are indications that it is a case of arson, and they've already caught a suspect in connection to the fire

JOHANNESBURG - Authorities looked into what caused a recent fire in the CBD. A building burnt down, and people died as a result.

Emergency services workers managed to save others who were injured on the scene. Authorities have released updates about what they suspect caused the fire.

Suspect apprehended for Johannesburg CBD fire

According to TimesLIVE, Johannesburg City manager Floyd Bank said the fire was an arson case. He confirmed that the building was hijacked and that the owner wanted to evict its occupants but wasn't able to prove ownership.

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The manager also confirmed that one woman had been arrested for an arson charge.

Johannesburg CBD fire causes deaths

Many people complained that a lot of buildings are illegally occupied. People commented, desperate for someone to be held accountable.

Jeanny Matlhare commented:

"Those buildings are dilapidated and need to be demolished."

Ruksana Ally said:

"They should be decolonized and made back into farms."

Piet M Lebudi wrote:

"Johannesburg has become a unsafe for anything and everything..buildings are just occupied nje,safety is the last thing,they just wanna occupy nje."

Xolela Simo November added:

"Demolish demolish demolish or sell them on auction. Who owns these buildings?"

Johannesburg fires claim lives

In 2023, a lot of buildings caught fire in Johann. More than 100 people died as a result of fires, especially in a degree-occupied building.

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Mzansi worried after another hijacked building burned down

Briefly News previously reported another Johannesburg CBD building has been gutted by flames on the same street where over 70 people in a hijacked building died in a fire on 31 August.

The recent fire happened on the same street as the Usindiso Building on Delver Street in Marshalltown on Friday morning, 15 September, according to eNCA.

According to the City of Johannesburg MMC for Public Safety Commissar, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, the fire broke out at around 10am.

Source: Briefly News