The charred remains of three people were recovered in a building gutted in a fire on Eagle Road in Missionlands – KZN a short while ago (Saturday).
Family and friends of the four men who failed to return home this morning arrived at their place of employment in search of them. Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) received a call for assistance after the search party peered through a window of the guttered building and noticed what appeared to be skeletal remains. Reaction Officers & RUSA Paramedics were immediately dispatched and on arrival confirmed the discovery was human remains. The Ethekwini Fire & Rescue Services arrived shortly thereafter and located two more bodies. One person is still unaccounted for.
According to relatives of the deceaseds, nine Malawian nationals were working night shift at the furniture manufacturing business when the fire broke out at approximately 23:30 last night. All exits and entrances were allegedly locked by their employer at the start of their shift preventing the men from escaping the inferno. This information was provided by the survivors and could not be confirmed by Reaction Officers. Five employees jumped out of windows from the upper level of the building. They escaped with minor injuries.
Firefighters are currently (13:25) searching for the fourth victim.