An inquiry into a building fire in South Africa that killed 76 finds city authorities responsible

By GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A report into a building fire that killed 76 people in South Africa last year has concluded that city authorities should be held responsible because they were aware of serious safety issues at the apartment block at least four years before the blaze. The nighttime fire at the five-story building in downtown Johannesburg on Aug. 31 was one of South Africa’s worst disasters. Retired Judge Sisi Khampepe was put in charge of the inquiry and she delivered the first part of her report on Sunday. She concluded that the City of Johannesburg, which owns the building, had shown “total disregard” for its well-known problems.