Durban's China Emporium still on fire nearly 24 hours after alarm was raised

Durban firefighters were still tackling a blaze at the China Emporium in the city centre on Saturday.

On Friday, 13 people — many of them Chinese — sustained minor to moderate injuries after a fire broke out at the mall on the corner of Anton Lembede and Brook streets.

Kyle van Reenen of Emer-G-Med said on Saturday there had been no further injuries but paramedics remained on standby.

“Traffic in the area is still being diverted and residents in the proximity are urged to keep all windows and doors closed,” he said.

eThekwini firefighters and metro police search and rescue members used ladders to get into the building to search for those who had been trapped after the alarm was raised at 10am on Friday. 

Garrith Jamieson of ALS Paramedics said two people had moderate burns while a third was injured after jumping from a window. 

Acting divisional commander of the eThekwini fire department Sifiso Mtshali confirmed that everyone who had been in the mall had been accounted for.

“There were people on the floor right above the fire and we managed to get them out using our hydraulic platforms,” said Mtshali.

“When we did the headcount it was confirmed that no-one was left inside the building.”

TimesLIVE