Updating: Johannesburg CBD fire is now contained, 3 firefighters dead

Update, 9am Friday: The fire which burned through a building in Johannesburg’s central district has been extinguished.

Update, 9pm Thursday: “Significant progress” has been made to extinguish a fire that has been raging in a building in Johannesburg’s CBD since Wednesday morning. However, there’s no indication that the fire has been extinguished completely as yet.

Under the command of @CityofJoburgEMS Acting Director Mucavele, significant progress has been made in the effort to extinguish the #JoburgFire

Our partners continue to support us in creating a safer @CityofJoburgZA pic.twitter.com/ZJ6d4T1dCr

— Joburg Public Safety (@CoJPublicSafety) September 6, 2018

Original article: A fire which broke out in a Johannesburg CBD building on Wednesday morning is still burning.

The blaze, which ignited on the 23rd floor of the Gauteng provincial Department of Health and Department of Human Settlements, brought Johannesburg’s city centre to a standstill.

Read more: #JoburgFire: Twitter accounts to follow for breaking news

It has also claimed the lives of three firefighters.

Three firefighters dead

#JoburgFire and #JoburgCBD began trending fairly late on Wednesday, and soon after the announcement of the first firefighter’s death.

A tweet by said firefighter’s widow received over 11 000 likes and 7000 comments after it was posted in the early hours of Thursday morning.

“Today I lost my husband, my best friend, father to my children. I love u so much,” she wrote.

#JoburgFire today I lost my husband, my best friend, father to my children. I love u so much pic.twitter.com/FEbLONGJdJ

— Yuri Tseke (@YuriTseke) September 6, 2018

Videos online appeared of one firefighter falling from the building. Others simply sent their condolences to the families affected.

Your husband, friend and the father of your children is a south African #Hero he served this Country and put his selfless life on the line. We will continue to honor him. Thank you for sharing his life with us.

— Goodnews (@MalaitaSA) September 6, 2018

Gomotsega Yuri!!! 💔🙏🏾

— DJ Fresh (Big Dawg) (@DJFreshSA) September 6, 2018

It’s not yet clear what caused the fire.

Twitter covers the Johannesburg fire from the ground

The fire was first reported early on Wednesday.

We’re on scene of another structural fire in the Joburg CBD on Sauer street. More details to follow. Images by @Zwane_2Li2Ls pic.twitter.com/kvAarPiSCE

— City of Joburg EMS (@CityofJoburgEMS) September 5, 2018

MEC Jacob Mamabolo set to brief members of the media, following the incident of building on fire in the 23rd Floor of the Department of Health in the Joburg CBD on Pixley ka Isaka Seme street near the city hall. At least three firefighters has lost their lives. #JoburgFire pic.twitter.com/Uy8SakrKyM

— GPInfrastructure (@GPDID) September 5, 2018

The #Joburgfire is still going and Sauer street is still closed .
What a tragic day!!!😢 pic.twitter.com/HFfWMsApYw

— Twisted 1929 (@Twisted1929) September 5, 2018

Smoke could still be seen billowing from the building early on Thursday.

#JoburgFire Looking even more dangerous now. pic.twitter.com/K4pBSMuNHk

— Jarryd_G (@Jarrydg4) September 6, 2018

That building is still burning 😱😱😱 #JoburgFire pic.twitter.com/BEOMaO2j3l

— Mchenge (@Sikho_N) September 6, 2018

By around 10am, much of the building’s top half was blackened by soot.

#JoburgFire why does it look like this fire is intensifying….. pic.twitter.com/vxgGSGX1mN

— Elandré (@ElandreP94) September 6, 2018

Reports also surfaced that the 16th floor was engulfed in flames.

#JoburgFire Driving into the CBD you can see flames. pic.twitter.com/LObBpsd7Is

— silindelo masikane (@Slindelo_M) September 6, 2018

Situation right now #JoburgFire pic.twitter.com/6JXfQmBS9r

— Moses Moyo (@moses_moyo) September 6, 2018

The fire still continues to burn onsight,Joburg EMS are still fighting the blaze and will be joined by Ekhuruleni OR Tambo and Cape Town fire fighters #JoburgFire pic.twitter.com/srpqTOiAZr

— Joburg Public Safety (@CoJPublicSafety) September 6, 2018

“The fire is burning once again. We urge everyone who has to be in the area to remain safe and alert. There is debris flying all over the place,” tweeted Herman Mashaba, Johannesburg mayor on Thursday afternoon.

The fire is burning once again.
We urge everyone who has to be in the area to remain safe and alert.
There is debris flying all over the place. #JoburgFire pic.twitter.com/teMAk3qOyC

— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) September 6, 2018

Firefighters from OR Tambo International Airport and Ekhuruleni Municipality have joined the Johannesburg EMS team battling the blaze.

Are there evacuations?

“No evacuation order has been issued as yet,” Joburg Public Safety tweeted around noon Thursday. The City has confirmed that if the situation worsens, an order may be given to those in surrounding buildings.

Note that NO evacuation order has been issued as yet.

If such a decision is taken it will be communicated accordingly. https://t.co/hhnsIadXKP

— Joburg Public Safety (@CoJPublicSafety) September 6, 2018

There are however disruptions to Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya bus service within the city centre.

“Commuters are informed that Chancellor house station can’t be accessed due to a burning building in Saure street, all buses have been diverted to Miriam Mageba and Temi Mpiliso street,” the service tweeted.

Commuters are informed that Chancellor house station can’t be accessed due to a burning building in Saure street, all buses have been diverted to Miriam Mageba and Temi Mpiliso street.^BM pic.twitter.com/pZ52wnXg4l

— Rea Vaya Bus Transit (@ReaVayaBus) September 6, 2018

This is a developing story…

Feature image: Joburg Public Safety (@CoJPublicSafety) via Twitter