History caught in blaze - 21 April 2021

A wildfire which broke out on the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town South Africa has spread to the city’s university.

The fire took hold of part of the historic university library which houses many valuable collections, a matter of concern for mayor Dan Plato.

Dan Plato: "On campus is more than ten fire vehicles currently. We have three buildings currently burning sporadically and, but this one is a major problem for us. It’s the library with lots and lots of old ancient valuables in the library."

Further damage to the library was prevented by the building’s overhead sprinkler system. Nevertheless, as high winds fanned the flames outside, all university students had to flee their dormitories on foot.

The flames gutted private homes and other historical buildings. Mostert’s Mill, South Africa’s oldest working windmill, was left in cinders.

Since the first fire alerts went up at around 9am local time on Sunday, over 200 firefighters have joined the battle against the blaze. At least 2 firemen have been injured in the line of duty. Four helicopters have joined the fight, picking up and dumping water onto the inferno.

Cape Town’s landmark Table Mountain National Park stretches over much of the city’s unbuilt area. On social media, calls were made for hikers to leave the area and for motorists to remove any vehicles parked in the vicinity.

The fire is believed to have started close to a monument of colonial icon Cecil Rhodes and was likely caused by a homeless person attempting to stay warm. However, further information is still needed as to the exact cause.

Cape Town Mayor, Dan Plato:

Dan Plato: "Me, I think, during the night, early tomorrow morning, we will be in a much better position to say where and how the fire have started."