At least 52 people killed in huge multi-storey building fire in Johannesburg

At least 52 people are dead and dozens more are injured

According to The Guardian, the number of injured is more than 40, and authorities believe the number of fatalities to rise.

The fire broke out in the middle of the night in South Africa's biggest city, Johannesburg.

Firefighters evacuated occupants after arriving at the scene but now a search and recovery operation is underway.

Authorities say that the fire has been largely extinguished but smoke continues to billow out of the windows of the building.

At the time of writing, the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said: "There are a lot of informal structures inside the building. There is a lot of debris which we have to remove."

Television footage shows numerous fire engines and ambulances outside the burnt out building which has been cordoned off by police.

According to reports, survivors of the blaze are frantically trying to locate their loved ones.

The building is reportedly the fourth "older building" to set on fire in the city in recent month.

Just a few weeks ago, another building in the suburb of Yeoville caught fire, and in June two children were killed in a fire in Hilbrow.