Mon 19 April 2021:

Firefighters in South Africa continued to battle a wildfire raging out of control in the city of Cape Town late Sunday after it destroyed a historic university’s library and a cafe.

“The wildfire on the slopes of Table Mountain National Park continues to burn. Several buildings on the University of Cape Town campus have been affected and all efforts to contain the fire continue,” Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said in a statement.

#CapeTownFire Some more pictures of the fire in Cale Town. Pictures supplied by Craig & Chris Pederson. GLS pic.twitter.com/cJenEVTiO6

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 18, 2021

Winde said the fire, which started at 8.45 a.m. local time Sunday, destroyed part of a cafe at the Rhodes Memorial and then moved towards the University of Cape Town’s upper campus.
The premier said students living on campus have been evacuated and the city is working with the university in coordinating alternate accommodation for affected students.

The University of Cape Town is a top learning institution on the continent which attracts students from all over the world.

“No classes, tutorials, laboratory work or tests will take place on Monday, 19 April or Tuesday, 20 April. We will assess the situation and provide further updates before midday on Tuesday,” the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng, said in a statement.

Yangınla ilgili temas ettiğimiz Cape Town Üniversitesi’nden kimi öğrencilerimiz yangından etkilenen öğrencimiz olduğuna ilişkin bir bilgi bulunmadığını belirttiler. Buna rağmen yangından mağdur olan vatandaşlarımız 0767677170 numaralı telefondan Başkonsolosluğumuza ulaşabilirler. https://t.co/vhdFnHqbdT

— T.C. Cape Town Başkonsolosluğu/Turkish CG CapeTown (@CapeTurkish) April 18, 2021

’’The fire has 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.”
Video: @henkpix/ @AfriNewsAgency https://t.co/AE3LQfwxtC pic.twitter.com/RzDeP2HtvF

— IOL News (@IOL) April 19, 2021

What you can do to support Gift of the Givers regrading the Table Mountain fire:
-Donate food, drink & essentials at 📍Old Mutual West Campus, 91 Jan Smuts, Pinelands.
-Donate to Standard Bank, Acc # 052137228, Branch code 057525. Ref UCT Fire.#CapeTownFires #capefire #CapeTown pic.twitter.com/ynz6qhpbLr

— Danielle Marais (@Marais_Dani) April 19, 2021

Evacuation

It prompted a mass evacuation of the UCT campus, EWN reported

“Earlier this morning we evacuated the Peppertree Street and Chelmsford Road in the Vredehoek area because of the heavy smoke. Properties are not in danger but just as a precautionary measure, we advise the residents to evacuate,” the City of Cape Town’s Charlotte Powell confirmed.

Winde said four helicopters provided by the city of Cape Town continue to water-bomb the area and teams from the city and other organizations are working to bring the fire under control.

Mostert’s Mill is the latest casualty to the Table Mountain fire. This implies that the blaze has jumped the M3. pic.twitter.com/DAZ6JMJLDz

— Cape {Town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) April 18, 2021

We salute the fire fighters today 🙏🏼 #CapeTown #CapeTownFire pic.twitter.com/WMMxV4itXZ

— Caamila Harris-Alexander (@R0se_Island6) April 18, 2021

A fire in Cape Town today, which quickly spread to the Table Mountain National Park and southern suburbs, which caused significant damage to University of Cape Town and surrounding areas. This is a time lapse video in 1 minute intervals. #capefire #uctfire #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/ecCOE6MhwH

— hanief (@hanief) April 18, 2021

Students from the Upper Campus of the University of Cape Town also had to be evacuated as strong winds caused the fire to spread.

Mayor Plato visited the site to thank those involved in firefighting efforts. pic.twitter.com/CZPY2AGRaE

— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) April 18, 2021

“Between 150 and 200 firefighters are on the fire line. Unfortunately, two firefighters have been injured and taken to hospital,” said Western Cape Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell.

The Table Mountain National Park believed that the fire was deliberately set.

The park’s fire manager, Philip Prins, said that it could not have been an extension of the first fire.

“It was too far away, it was dead quiet and there was no wind and there was no squatting or anything like that, so this was definitely a new fire and it was definitely started deliberately.”

Suspect being questioned

Reports have emerged that a suspected arsonist has been arrested on Sunday night in connection with the fire currently engulfing the foothills of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, as the City of Cape Town investigates reports about the original blaze being due to arson and of additional fires being started, Times live reported.

On Monday mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said, “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 investigations, but the city can confirm one suspect in his 30s was taken into custody last night in the vicinity of Devil’s Peak”

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, The South African reported.

“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”