Search for bodies in fire-gutted Marshalltown building continues
Johannesburg emergency services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi says the search for more bodies in the Marshalltown building will continue on Friday before the scene is handed over to the police.
The fire at the hijacked five-storey building broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Speaking to Breakfast with Martin Bester on Friday, Mulaudzi said K9 dogs would be brought in to assist with the sweeping.
The death toll from the inferno stood at 74 on Friday morning.
Out of the 74 bodies, 24 were identified as females, 40 as males, and 10 were an undetermined gender, as the bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
Twelve children are among the dead.
"We did our best, but unfortunately, we couldn't save everyone who was inside. Today (Friday) we will be continuing to sweep the whole building with the assistance of the South African Police Services K9's to ensure that we don't leave anybody that might be still trapped, and we will then hand over the scene to the South African Police Service,” said Mulaudzi.
Mulaudzi described the scene inside the building as akin to an informal settlement, where residents built shacks.
This made it difficult for residents to escape the fire in time and for emergency services to get to them in time.
"The city has to do something. We can't be talking about one and the same thing several times and even the whole year. Something needs to be done about it,” pleaded Mulaudzi.
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