WATCH: Fire in Johannesburg informal housing leaves 73 dead

At least 73 people are dead, and 50 more injured, after a fire ripped through a building early Thursday, that was used largely as informal housing in Johannesburg, South Africa.

At least seven of the victims were children, the youngest victim — a 1-year-old child.

Witnesses and survivors said residents, trapped by locked or blocked exit routes, were jumping from windows multiple stories high in an effort to flee the fire.

The building, which housed an estimated 200 people, was considered a heritage site, once a governmental ‘pass’ office which controlled the movement of Black people during apartheid.

Once managed by the city, the building, like many other buildings across Johannesburg became home to unhoused people looking for shelter.
As of Thursday night in Johannesburg, authorities had not confirmed the cause of the fire, but one local official said initial evidence indicated it may have been due to a burning candle.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa promised an investigation and pressed government officials to address the housing crisis in a statement, adding, “this is a great tragedy felt by families whose loved ones perished in this awful manner, and our hearts go out to every person affected by this event.”

This reel was produced by Tim McPhillips, Julia Griffin, Yasmeen Alamiri, Kenichi Serino, Nicole Ellis, and Staff Staples.

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