One dead, hundreds left homeless in complex blaze in South Africa

Johannesburg, Sep 25 (IANS) A fire broke out Tuesday night at the Broadwalk Urban Village residential complex in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, claiming one life and leaving hundreds homeless.

Xolile Khumalo, spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), said that a search and rescue team discovered a woman's body among the rubble on Wednesday, noting the body was trapped beneath debris from the collapsed roof.

The fire began shortly after 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), affecting about 130 apartments and injuring some residents as they attempted to escape. The EMS responded swiftly, extinguishing the blaze and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.

"The majority of residents were evacuated safely," Khumalo said, adding that the total number of residents affected remains uncertain and firefighters are conducting a thorough room-by-room search, Xinhua news agency reported.

"EMS continues to urge Johannesburg residents to scrutinize accommodation facilities before taking residency and ensure all electrical appliances are switched off after use," Khumalo said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

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