'It's a miracle'

2008-10-06 16:01

Verashni Pillay

Johannesburg - A Zimbabwean woman is in a critical condition and another dead after they fell eight stories trying to escape a fire in their derelict Berea flat.

The 18-year-old woman, whose name was not released, was rushed to Charlotte Maxeke Academic hospital (formerly Johannesburg General) with broken limbs.

According to Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson, Percy Morokane, what is thought to be a family of Zimbabweans were in their Cardiff Arms flat in Berea on Monday when the electricity tripped.

"Their brother went down to speak to the caretaker to put the electricity on again," Morokane told News24. This was when the electricity box, next to the front door, exploded.

The fire forced the three women to the flat's balcony where they tried to climb down from their eight-floor flat to the seventh floor.

With no fire escape, two of the woman slipped and fell eight stories.

The 24-year-old was killed.

The third woman, aged 18, made it to the seventh floor and suffered bruises. She was treated on the scene.

Morokane said he didn't know how she made it to the seventh floor. "I'm in front of the building," he told News24 by phone. "It's a miracle, I don't know what happened."

The flat was badly burned and onlookers crowded the street below where the two women fell. Police had cordoned off the area.

A fire safety officer was conducting an investigation and police would open an inquest document into the cause of the explosion, said Morokane.

- News24