Table Mountain fire
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LIVE| Battle against Table Mountain fire

3 years ago
3 years ago
Get the latest updates, as efforts to contain the Table Mountain fire that started on Sunday morning, continues. Property including private homes, Rhodes Memorial restaurant and historical structures such as the Mostert’s Hill windmill have been damaged.
The wind remained quite strong on Monday, making matters worse.

21:34: IOL provides insight into archives lost at the Jagger library due to the fire.

21:30

21:25

20:38

19.23

19:16

18.54: The fire has broken out again on Table Mountain. Flames are roaring, fuelled by strong winds.

16:41: Fire NOT contained.

16:21:  Reports indicate the fire is largely under control now. The wind is, however, still pumping, and the possibility of flareups remains.

16: 10 Reports indicate that University of Cape Town students have been left traumatised following their evacuation from the campus.

At least 4 000 students were evacuated from the campus, as the fire spread rapidly from Rhodes Memorial on Sunday.

15:48: Reports say despite windy conditions, the Table Mountain fire has been contained.

Aerial support has been grounded due to the windy conditions.

15:41: What we know so far:

  • A raging wildfire spreading across the slopes of the Table Mountain has torched the University of Cape Town library and forced the evacuation of students from the area.
  • At least 250 firefighters have been battling the blaze since Sunday
  • The blaze spread to residential suburbs in the early hours of Monday, resulting in some residents being evacuated
  • Casualties of the devastating blaze include a mill in Mowbray, the University of Cape Town and the Rhosed Memorial Restaurant and Tea Garden.
  • SANParks says fire crews are working around the clock to suppress the ongoing fire
  • SANDF is on standby for assistance

15:12: IOL reports that More people from Walmer Estate, near Zonnebloem, in the City Bowl have been asked to leave their homes.

Some Walmer Estate residents could be seen trying to stop the fire from reaching their homes, the reports say.

14:57: SANParks says fire crews are working around the clock to suppress the ongoing Fire. Watch the video for more details.

Watch the video below for more details:

14:47: UPDATE:

Premier Alan Winde will today (Monday) visit the University of Cape Town to, together with the Vice Chancellor, assess the damage to the campus.

The Premier will lead a media briefing on the general response to the wildfire and an update on its current status, as well as damage to property, from the campus.

Premier Winde will be joined for the briefing by the Mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato, MEC of Environmental Affairs Anton Bredell, Chief Director of Disaster Management, Colin Deiner and Vice Chancellor of UCT, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

14:23: Wester Cape Premier Alan Winde has reiterated that the provincial government has arranged with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to have its available air resources in Cape Town on standby for assistance with the ongoing wildfire on Table Mountain National Park.

Read the full statement below: 

We have arranged with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to have its available air resources in Cape Town on standby for assistance with the ongoing wildfire on Table Mountain National Park.
Anton Bredell, the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape says the SANDF was activated this morning.

“At the moment the wind is too strong and it is not safe to fly the helicopters. As soon as the weather permits, the air force will be in the air. The Oryx can carry a water payload of 2000 litres per drop. We welcome the SAAF support as always.”
Bredell says the City of Cape Town and its partners continue to tackle the wildfire despite the gale force wind.
“We want to urge the public to work with the authorities and obey all instructions. In addition, reports of people trying to access the mountain at various points for recreational purposes is concerning. People are asked to avoid the Table Mountain area while the fire remains ongoing.”
SANParks estimates that roughly 400 hectares of wildland has been destroyed so far while the City of Cape Town has reported eight structures have been damaged and/or destroyed in the fire that broke out yesterday morning. The eight structures includes four building on the campus of the University of Cape Town which has been damaged in the fire.
In the event of an emergency please contact:
?City of Cape Town Emergency Services Landline: 021 480 7700 Cellphone:107
?Provincial Emergency Number – 112
?Table Mountain National Park – 021 957 4700

14:15 Schools given permission to send learners home

At least 16 schools have been given permission to send learners home due to the spreading fire on the slope of the Table mountain.

“The schools were contacted earlier by the Western Cape Education Department, notifying them of the procedures to follow, should they wish to send learners home due to health and safety concerns,” News24 quoted education department spokesperson Bronagh Casey as saying.

He said all learners will be supervised until the last learner leaves safely.

13:59: Times Live is quoting archival specialists as saying documents and archival footage from across the African continent might have been destroyed in the Cape fires.

“The terrible thing is that it was the archive of the continent

“It was papers and documents going back from all parts of Africa,” aura Robinson from the Cape Town Heritage Trust is quoted as saying.

It remains unclear how many old books and documents were destroyed inside the University of Cape Town’s Jagger Library, which houses an African collection.

It also remains unclear how much of the collection had been digitised.

13: 47: Reports indicate that the firefighters have enough water for now. They, however, need snacks like energy bars, gummy sweets and so on.

13:40: The City of Cape Town says its Air Quality Monitoring Unit has recorded very high levels of Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM 2.5) at the Foreshore Monitoring Station.

“Asthmatics and other sensitive receptors with respiratory conditions are urged to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed, or alternatively leave the area if possible and to seek medical attention if respiratory distress is experienced,” the City says.

13:33: Shoprite says it is serving hot meals to students being accommodated at various temporary locations.

13:24: The Animal Welfare Society says it activated its emergency disaster contingency plan on Sunday morning after it became evident that the fire was spreading uncontrollably putting, lives and property at risk.

“At first light this morning (Sunday) we had one of our Distressed Animal vehicles manned by our Animal Care Centre Supervisor and a team of volunteers pro-actively patrolling the most severely impacted areas.

“We have just started to receive calls from pet owners from Walmer Estate and the greater Woodstock area seeking temporary refuge for their pets.

“We have subsequently recalled our operational team to help ready additional cat enclosures and dog kennels in anticipation of an influx of pets.

“Anyone needing our help is kindly requested to call our Emergency Number 082 601 1761 that is manned 24/7.

“We have also extended our help to the SPCA who are spearheading animal rescue efforts.

“The South Easter is still howling and wreaking havoc with attempts to bring it under control with tragic consequences for countless wild animals and many hapless domestic pets who must be petrified.

“Rest assured that we are here to help anyone in distress and will remain on full alert ready to mobilise all of our quite considerable resources to do our bit in whatever way we can.

“To tame this run-a-way beast is going to require a co-ordinated Herculean effort and we together with our colleagues in the animal welfare sector have readied ourselves for this seemingly impossible task,” said the Animal Welfare Society.

13:14: The South African Defence Forces (SANDF) is said to be on standby for assistance with the raging blaze on the Table Mountain National Park.

“At the moment the wind is too strong and it is not safe to fly the helicopters. As soon as the weather permits, the air force will be in the air. The Oryx can carry a water payload of 2 000 litres per drop. We welcome the SAAF support as always,” the minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning in the Western Cape Anton Bredell was quoted as saying.

13:00 DA shadow minister of environment, forestry and fisheries Dave Bryant has reportedly called for an independent investigation into the Table Mountain fire.

News24 quoted Bryant on Monday as saying the investigation should determine if firebreaks in the area were maintained prior to the fire.

“While the hot weather and high winds certainly played a major role in the fast spread of this fire, there should have been more effective contingency measures in place to prevent the rapid spread and both SANParks and UCT need to provide answers in this regard,” said Bryant.

12:45: In brief:

The University of Cape Town’s usually bustling campus has remained a ghost town on Monday, as firefighters continue to battle the blaze that is raging in central Cape Town.

Thousands of students have been evacuated.

Several buildings including the Pearson, Smuts and Fuller halls, as well as the Jagger Library, have been affected by the blaze – by far the biggest loss is the library, which housed invaluable collections.

12:35: The battle against the flames could last for days, according to a media release shared by a Twitter account associated with the Sanparks.
“This is not an easy fire which will probably see firefighters fighting the blaze for at least three days,” the release read.

12:29: LATEST : RHODES MEMORIAL FIRE UPDATE

FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES – JERMAINE CARELSE

• Active firefighting is concentrated in the the following areas: Vredehoek, Philip Kgosana Drive and UCT

• City firefighting resources dispatched include 32 firefighting appliances and more than 150 firefighters

• They are assisted by staff from TMNP, Working on Fire and the Volunteer Wildfire Services

• The fire is not under control yet – at this time, the wind is a major contributing factor

• Aerial firefighting support remains grounded due to the strong winds

• Four firefighters have been injured and are receiving medical treatment – two of the four are City firefighters

DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT – CHARLOTTE POWELL

• Evacuations have taken place at UCT as well as the following locations in Vredehoek: Peppertree Road, Ministerial Estate, Disa Park, Mountain View complex

• All schools in Vredehoek have been asked to evacuate

• Assessments are underway in Zonnebloem

• In the event of evacuation, please remember to take chronic medication, Identity Documents, passports, cash, cellphones, bottled water, non-perishable food, a set of clothing, blanket and toiletries.

• The City’s Air Quality Monitoring Unit has recorded very high levels of Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM 2.5) at the Foreshore Monitoring Station. Asthmatics and other sensitive receptors with respiratory conditions are urged to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed, or alternatively leave the area if possible and to seek medical attention if respiratory distress is experienced

• DRMC staff and volunteers are distributing donations from the public to command posts along the fire-line

12:23 SANParks has urged the public to stay away from the Table Mountain National Park, after scores tried to enter the park on Monday morning, reports say.

“Rangers had their hands full this morning at their entrances stopping users from partaking in their usual day-to-day activities within the Table Mountain National Park.

“Park personnel are hard at work trying to put down the fire and most resources are dedicated to the fire. It is for this reason that we urge users to stay away from the following areas: Newlands Forest, Groote Schuur Estate, Rhodes Memorial, Devils Peak, Tafelberg Road, Vredehoek, and Deer Park sections of the park. That includes all recreation areas below and above Tafelberg Road, which will remain closed until further notice,” Sanparks spokesperson Rey Thakhuli

11:56: The Cape of Good Hope SPCA says it has opened its doors to assist people evacuating their animals free of charge.

11:32: Companies, organisations and individuals have come together and used the power of social media to reach out to those who have been affected by the raging fires that started on Sunday at the Table Mountain.

University of Cape Town students, in particular, are in need of accommodation and food after the fire destroyed part of the campus.

Reports indicated on Monday that Uber had offered free rides to students who needed transport to evacuate the campus.

Meanwhile, Fast-food chain Burger King offered free meals for affected students, while a trauma clinic is offering free counselling for students.

Gift of the Givers says it is preparing meals for at least 4 000 students.

11:20 Aerial firefighting support remains grounded, as more than 150 firefighters are battling the fire on Table Mountain. This is due to strong winds – the same ones that are fanning the flames.

“The fire is not under control yet. At this time, the wind is a major contributing factor,” says City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carlese.

He says active firefighting is concentrated in Vredehoek, along Philip Kgosana Drive and around UCT

11:01: WATCH:

Cape Town Executive Mayor Dan Plato has visited the University of Cape Town to view the extent of the fire damage.

10:56: Premier Alan Winde has thanked everyone that has helped since the wildfire broke out on Sunday morning, saying: “Our teams are hard at work to get this fire under control.”

10:52: #capetownfires

10:45: Here is Premier Alan Winde’s updated statement on the Table Mountain fire:

A wildfire that broke out early yesterday (Sunday) morning has spread overnight towards the Devils Peak Estate/Vredehoek area of the Cape Town Citybowl, with some areas that have been evacuated in the early hours of the morning as a precautionary measure.
Anton Bredell, the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape says the conditions have deteriorated overnight with the wind picking up strength and fanning the flames.
“The wind speed is expected to increase during the day which may impact on the deployment of aerial firefighting. The helicopters cannot fly if the wind is too strong and the visibility too poor but the situation will be fully assessed early this morning.”
Bredell says more than 250 firefighters from the City of Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services remain on the ground.

The City of Cape Town evacuated the upper areas of Chelmsford and Peppertree roads in Vredehoek early this morning as a precautionary action.
The M3 roadway remains closed as well as the Phillip Kgosana inbound roadway.
“It is going to be a very tough day and we urge the public to work with the emergency responders and the authorities. Stay away from the affected areas. Anyone who is able to avoid the citybowl today and able to work from home, is urged to do so due. Residents in the affected areas are advised to take note of the heavy smoke and soot and to seek medical attention if breathing becomes difficult.”
To date there have been no civilian injuries reported while five firefighters have sustained injuries to date.
The city will inform residents timeously if there is a further need to evacuate an affected area. People who wish to leave the area of their own accord are welcome to do so.
Residents in the vicinity of the fire are advised to take some precautionary steps including:
?Remain Hydrated.
?Keep windows and doors closed until further notice as protection against smoke and heat.
?Keep pets indoors where possible.
?Move garden furniture that is flammable under cover where possible.
?If the situation gets worse, residents will be alerted timeously.
The SPCA is on hand to assist displaced animals.
Residents who may reside in the affected area are advised to remember the following in the event of an evacuation:
?Take along chronic medication
?Remember ID documents, passports, cellphones
?Keep a bottle of water on hand.
In the event of an emergency please contact:
?City of Cape Town Emergency Services Landline: 021 480 7700 ?Cellphone:107
?Provincial Emergency Number – 112
?Table Mountain National Park – 021 957 4700

10:37: In Brief:

Reports indicate that as firefighters battled the fire between Rhodes Memorial and the slopes above Vredehoek, they received calls that people were making fires in the bush.

“Two calls in rapid succession indicating that they had seen people moving through the bush starting fires, three individuals,” EWN reported on Monday.

This led to one man being arrested. He was suspected of having started on the fires that are still raging on the slopes of the mountain.

The suspect remained in custody on Monday.

The City of Cape Town’s JP Smith was quoted as saying that when law enforcement officials questioned him, he initially said that he was trying to stop the fire and then said that he had started it.

“It won’t be clear until all the documentation, all the investigation, all the witness statements are in. When the officer asked him, he said ‘but I started the fire’ and the officer then asked him if he meant the original fire. He may have accidentally let the fire get out of his control from cooking or otherwise. This will have to now be a criminal investigation and there is going to be substantial consequences for him.”

10:22: LATEST: The Ministerial Estate, Disa Park and Mountain View Complex in Vredehoek have been evacuated.

All schools in the Vredehoek area have been asked to evacuate, according to the City of Cape Town.

10:15: Social media users have taken to Twitter to express their shock and devastation after the fire-veld destroyed the University of Cape Town’s Jagger Library and Mostert’s Mill among other heritage sites on Sunday.


10:07: #capetownfires

10:03: Table Mountain Aerial Cableway suspends operations

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway has suspended operations due to the fire on mountain. All operations will remain suspended until the area is declared safe, said the managing director of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company.

He urged the public to keep all roads in the vicinity of the fires clear and to cooperate with instructions given by firefighting teams.

09:50: STATEMENT BY MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, ALDERMAN JP SMITH

19 April 2021

The fire that initially started in the vicinity of Rhodes Memorial just under 24 hours ago continues to rage and has spread in the direction of Vredehoek.

All efforts remain focused on active firefighting for the moment, although the fire is hard to reach in places and we hope that aerial firefighting support can be deployed to douse the flames before it reaches the urban edge.

However, the wind could impact on this deployment.

For the moment, there are some precautionary evacuations taking place in Vredehoek, but no other evacuations were necessary overnight.

We commend the firefighters, Disaster Risk Management staff and volunteers, the enforcement staff and every other agency and individual who have played a role in the efforts to contain the fire, and continue to do so.

We would also like to thank the public for opening their hearts and wallets to the firefighters, but also the students who were evacuated by UCT.


There has been property damage, details of which are in the public domain, but the City will do a full assessment once the fire is under control.

Thus far, two City firefighters have been injured and we wish them a speedy recovery.

There is a lot of speculation currently about additional fires that were started, and whether the original fire was an act of arson.

This will form part of investigations, but the City can confirm that one suspect in his thirties was taken into custody last night in the vicinity of Devil’s Peak.

He was spotted by a resident, who tracked him down with the help of his sons and the family’s dogs.

The matter is with SAPS for investigation and further details will follow as they become available.

For now, the focus is on bringing the fire under control and we appeal to the public to assist the authorities by following instructions in respect of evacuations where necessary, staying away from the active firefighting scenes so that firefighters can focus on the job at hand, and by reporting any information that may be relevant to the investigations into this incident.

#capetownfires

09:43: Reports indicate that only one of four choppers are up with water because of wind

09:42: #capetownfires

09:38 #capetownfires

09:35: #capetownfires

09:33: “We hope aerial firefighting support can be deployed to douse the flames before they reach the urban edge.

“However, the wind could impact on this deployment.

“For the moment, there are some precautionary evacuations taking place in Vredehoek, but no other evacuations were necessary overnight,” mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said. 

09:30: The City of Cape Town in investigating reports about the original blaze being due to arson and of additional fires being started.

According to Times Live, this was disclosed by mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith.

“There is a lot of speculation about additional fires that were started, and whether the original fire was an act of arson. This will form part of the investigations, but the city can confirm one suspect in his 30s was taken into custody last night in the vicinity of Devil’s Peak.”

09:22: UCT has confirmed that it had lost parts of the rare African Studies collection in the fire, reports say.

The flames completely gutted the Jagger Reading Room on upper campus.

UCT vice-chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, said that they were not sure yet exactly how much they had lost.

“Having lost the Jagger Reading Room completely and some parts of the African Studies collection is completely devastating.”

09:20: #capetownfires

09:18: #capetownfires

09:15: “I think the extreme heat and the wind that we faced and just the weather conditions were just against the firefighters. the wind just blows the embers to the other side. It was dry and a bit windy and there was all the conducive conditions for the fire to spread rapidly,” EWN quoted The City of Cape Town’s fire services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse as saying.

09:13: EWN reports that authorities are set to assess the damage caused nation’s oldest university following a massive fire.

The report says fire authorities and members of the University of Cape Town will assess the damage.

09:00 #capetownfires

08:57: #capetownfires

#capetownfires

08:45: South African National Parks says there is overwhelming support from Cape Town residents for firefighters currently fighting a running fire in Table Mountain National Park. Scores of community members

08:37: Manager of the Rhodes Memorial Restaurant and Tea Garden Jessica Lyon says they are still in shock after the fire ripped through the area.

“All we know is that we managed to evacuate the clients and staff as quickly as possible. I don’t knbow what the extent of the damage is.

“We will be okay. We are going to be fine,” News24 quoted her as saying.

 

08:29: News24 reports that at least 4 000 UCT students were evacuated on Sunday after the veldfire reached the campus.

08:16: UCT is not able, at the moment, to confirm the extent of the damage to property.

“UCT is at this stage not able to confirm extent of the damage to property, as well as the number or names of buildings affected,” IOL quoted UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola as saying last night.  

Dramatic images from the scene showed UCT’s library on fire as well as the HWP building. Students living on campus have been evacuated.


08:06: IN BRIEF: What exactly happened? 

The vegetation fire is believed to have been started by a vagrant. It  first moved up towards Rhodes Memorial and then towards the UCT upper campus.

Rhodes Memorial Restaurant has burnt down, while part of the UCT library, residences and upper campus buildings were also damaged by the fire.

Fire crews have been working throughout the night. The City has more than 200 of its firefighters on the scene from various stations across the metropole, working alongside the TMNP staff, Working on Fire and the Volunteer Wildfire Services.

City of Cape Town: UPDATE ON FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS
The fire has now spread towards the Vredehoek area as a result of the South Easter.
The wind speed increased from about 2am this morning and additional fire crews are now stationed at Pepper Tree and Chelmsford area.
As a precautionary these areas were evacuated.
Further crews are on Tafelberg road as the wind speed is predicted to increase throughout the morning.
This could also potentially impact on the deployment of aerial firefighting support this morning.
More than 250 firefighters from the City, TMNP, Working on Fire and the Volunteer Wildfire Services remain on the ground, fighting the fire on various fronts.

UPDATE ON FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS

The fire has now spread towards the Vredehoek area as a result of the South Easter.

The…

Posted by City of Cape Town on Sunday, April 18, 2021

08:00: City of Cape Town : UPDATE ON DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT EFFORTS
Precautionary evacuations have gotten under way in Peppertree Road in Vredehoek, after the fire spread towards the area overnight.
DRMC is also aware of some residents who opted to evacuate in other parts of the suburb, due to the smoke hanging over the area.
We ask the public to please remember the following should they be asked to evacuate:
Evacuate immediately and remember to take chronic medication, Identity Documents, passports, cash, cellphones, bottled water, non-perishable food, a set of clothing, blanket and toiletries.
If evacuation is ordered, residents are requested to make use of wet towels or rags wrapped around their mouth and nose.
The SPCA will assist animals that are displaced.
To date, no injuries to civilians have been reported to the Disaster Operations Centre.

UPDATE ON DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT EFFORTS

Precautionary evacuations have gotten underway in Peppertree Road in…

Posted by City of Cape Town on Sunday, April 18, 2021

07:53: UCT Vice Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng says all campus activity will not proceed on Monday and Tuesday, as the university assesses the situation and provides further update.

“The safety of students and staff is paramount. For safety reasons, the campus will be closed down and no one, other than emergency services will be allowed access. We are all anxious about the extent of the damage to the Rondesbosch campus. We will provide updates as soon as we are able to do so,” said Phakeng.

She says food and emergency accommodation have been arranged for all students who have been evacuated.

07:45: “The fire has now spread towards the Vredehoek area as a result of the south-easter. The wind speed increased from about 2am this morning and additional fire crews are now stationed at Pepper Tree and Chelmsford area.

“As a precautionary, these areas were evacuated. Further crews are on Tafelberg road as the wind speed is predicted to increase throughout the morning.

“This could also potentially impact on the deployment of aerial firefighting support this morning. More than 250 firefighters from the City, Table Mountain National Parks (TMNP), Working on Fire and the Volunteer Wildfire Services remain on the ground, fighting the fire on various fronts,” said a City spokesperson at 7.11am, according to IOL

07:43: #capetownfires

07:41: IOL reports that Vredehoek residents in the City Bowl began evacuating their homes early this morning as strong winds picked up at about 02:00 and keep fanning a fire that started on Sunday.

City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell confirmed that evacuations were under way, with Fire and Rescue vehicles on the scene as the wind speed is predicted to increase throughout the morning.

#capetownfire

07:35: #capetownfire

07:33 #capetownfire

07:32: #capetownfire

07:26: Hiking Cape Town says the fire is continuing to spread, as it has reached Devils Peak and towards the CBD.

“If you come across injured wildfire, please call Cape of Good Hope SACA on 083 326 1604.

07:18: EWN reports that at least four firefighters have been injured while battling a blaze on the slopes of the Table Mountain.

More than 200 firefighters have been battling the inferno, the report says.

“An additional member from the volunteer service was also injured and was taken to hospital, so we’re currently standing at four firefighters – two from the city and two from the volunteer firefighting service,” Fire and rescue services’ Jermaine Carelse was quoted as saying.

#capetownfire

07:12: City of Cape Town Dusaster Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell says evacuations are still under way. She did not, however, give more details, according to News24.

07:08: Philip Kgosana Drive inbound is closed at Hospital Bend, while Princess Ann Avenue is closed between the Main Road and M3. Woolsack Drive is closed between Main Road and M3.

In Vredenhoek, Chelmsford Road and Pepper Tree Road are closed.

Tafelberg Road has also been closed

06:59: City of Cape Town Traffic Service Spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout says road closures remain in place on Monday morning. The M3, both inbound and outbound is closed between Hospital Bend and Rhodes drive.

06:56: #Capetownfire

06:54: The massive fire that began on Sunday morning has spread overnight, forcing residents to evacuate their homes.

06:22: Ward Councillor Nicole Jewell posted on Facebook that witnesses had told police that they had seen three people trying to deliberately stoke the blaze late on Sunday night.

“Unbelievable. Three arsonist witnessed starting three separate fires on Philip Kgosana drive. Seen by witnesses and running away. About 30 minutes ago,” she said, adding that fire service are on the scene but are “stretched beyond limits”

06:20: A suspected arsonist has since been apprehended in connection with the fire that is currently engulfing the foothills of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, reports The South African. The suspect was arrested on Sunday night.

06:19: Several agencies responding to the devastating fire that ripped through a number of buildings on Sunday afternoon, including the UCT library, have claimed that the fire was started by “vagrants”.

06:18:  Get the latest updates as, efforts to contain the Table Mountain fire that started on Sunday morning, continues. Property including private homes, Rhodes Memorial restaurant and historical structures such as the Mostert’s Hill windmill have been damaged.

Picture: Twitter

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