Johannesburg building fire: Death toll rises to 63 in South Africa

The death toll from a fire in a five-storey building in central Johannesburg has risen to 63, according to the city's emergency services.

Spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said the number of injured was 43.

Rescue officials said the fire was now extinguished and emergency services were conducting rescue operations.

Videos taken minutes after the fire broke out show huge orange flames engulfing the lower floor of a building and many people standing outside.

Speaking in a radio interview on Thursday morning, Mulaudzi said there were \hundreds\ of unofficial settlements inside the building.

Photos taken Thursday morning showed viewers crowding around burnt and cordoned off areas, broken glass windows and clothes strewn around the building.

Johannesburg's emergency services confirmed the fire was reported at around 1.30am local time on Thursday. \At this stage, the cause of the fire incident is still the subject of an investigation,\ the statement said.

Officials from the City of Johannesburg Disaster Management have been mobilised to start making it easier to help affected families,\ he said.