Twenty-six children and 10 adults have been rescued from the roof of the Miller Weedon House in central Johannesburg where a fire broke out on Friday morning.
Emergency services spokesperson Andrew Sampson said the children, mostly toddlers, would be looked after by rescue workers until their parents claimed them.
For Dailen Gumede, 6, it was his second time being rescued from the burning building. His father, Tabbath, said his son had broken his leg while being rescued when the building last caught fire in winter.
Dailen said he had felt safe on the roof although it had been very hot.
Rescue workers inflated surgical gloves to serve as balloons for the children to play with until their parents arrived.
Sampson told reporters that a structural investigation would be conducted to determine whether the building was safe to house people. ”If not it will be condemned.”
The upper three floors of the building were completely destroyed, with significant smoke and water damage to many other floors.
Christopher Masondo, 39, become trapped in his 7th floor flat when the fire broke out. He said he had been watching TV when he heard his neighbour making a noise. When he opened his door he was flung back by a
heavy cloud of smoke.
Realising that the building was on fire, Masondo’s first thoughts were for the safety of his 17-month-old son who was at a creche on the 8th floor.
He tried to leave the room but the smoke was too thick so he stood at window. Someone threw a hosepipe to him so he was able to keep the flat cool until firemen rescued him. Masondo’s son was among the 26 children rescued from the roof. – Sapa