A woman has been arrested after she was allegedly seen setting a Joburg building alight on Sunday morning - resulting in the death of two people.

This was confirmed by Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba.

The fire claimed the lives of two people with four people currently in hospital receiving medical treatment.

"Two people were found dead as search and rescue operations continue at the building fire. City of Joburg EMS received a call about a residential building fire at Commissioner and Nugget streets in the CBD," said Radebe-Kgiba.

During the fire, two people jumped from the second floor, and a further three were rescued from the building's balcony.

The fire at a commercial building in the Joburg CBD. Photo: screenshot/supplied

"The fire spread very quickly, affecting different levels of the building because of the combustible materials used. EMS will conduct preliminary investigations to determine the cause of the fire after firefighting operations are done," Radebe-Kgiba said.

“One person has been arrested by the SAPS as witnesses have said they had seen her pour paraffin and starting the fire,” Radebe-Kgiba said on SABC’s The Agenda show.

It remains unclear at this stage how many people have been affected by the fire as city officials are yet to conclude the head count.

The safety of the building has been called into question and Radebe-Kgiba said the inside of the building was “like an informal settlement.

Speaking to the media on the scene, City Manager Flloyd Brink said the building alight is a hijacked building.

He told Eyewitness News (EWN), the immigration status of the occupants cannot be confirmed at this point but said the city of Joburg was working to address the issue of illegally occupied buildings.

robin.francke@inl.co.za

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