JUST IN: ‘Hijacked’ building fire blankets parts of Joburg CBD in smoke

At least one building in Johannesburg CBD has been engulfed in flames, sending smoke across the streets of the city on Saturday.

Emergency services have confirmed to *The Citizen *that they are on the scene of a fire at a building in the city, but unconfirmed reports claim the structure in Doornfontein was illegally occupied.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been established.

Videos of the fire shared on social media showed smoke pouring from windows as police looked on and fire services began attending the scene. It is understood that Joburg Metro Police are now on the scene and all emergency units, including parademics, are in attendance.

The building itself looks neglected, with trash piled up, appearing to barricade the entrances.

A building is burning in Joburg cbd allegedly it belongs to foreigners.There is a police van visible outside. pic.twitter.com/AYnCCUv9zv

– Sunflower (@Sunflowerreal)

June 27, 2026

A hijacked building on fire in Johannesburg CBD pic.twitter.com/TBdGUHDJwT

– VeZzy (@TheVeZzy)

June 27, 2026

This is a developing story