Yahoo TV

STORY: Sihle Dube was renting a tiny room in the rundown block, one of the many apartments engulfed in flames early on Thursday (August 31).

He woke when he heard a bang at 4am and opened his apartment door to investigate, but smoke instantly filled the room. He put his trousers on and went to a window to try to get some air.

But he still couldn't breathe properly so climbed out of the first floor window intending to jump but slipped and crashed to the ground, sustaining broken ribs and a back injury. He passed out and was eventually taken to hospital by ambulance.

As the grim search for bodies was being carried out by police with specially trained sniffer dogs, health minister Joe Paahla said the death toll had risen to at least 76, two of whom died from their injuries in hospital.