One dead in fire at Germiston old age home

Four others were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, while several others were evacuated from the burning building.

The blaze, which broke out on Thursday morning, destroyed a section of the two-story building.

Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi said firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from engulfing the entire building.

"The fire was spreading to the other two sides of the building at a very fast rate. We managed to cut it off from spreading over towards the office block. There is a lesser fire going down to the other rooms on the other side. There is a possibility that the fire could have started in that particular room.”   

Eyewitnesses told Jacaranda FM News that immediately after the fire broke out, they rushed into the burning building and kicked down doors to rescue elderly residents. 

Some 50 residents were evacuated from the burning building. 

The cause of the blaze is unknown, and a police investigation has been launched.