According to the city, a fire broke out Sunday on Table Mountain, the legendary peak overlooking the city of Cape Town on the southern tip of South Africa, and was still burning Monday morning.
According to the city, the fire destroyed part of the restaurant next to a memorial to British colonist Cecil Rhodes, which offers an outstanding view of the harbor, homes, and several buildings of the prestigious Cape Town University below, including the library, which offers an exceptional view of the harbor, houses, and several buildings of the prestigious Cape Town University below, including the library.
According to the city, one firefighter was taken to the hospital with burns while his teammates managed to battle the fire into the evening.
According to AFP journalists on the scene, hundreds of students had fled their residences on foot, traveling down the main road to avoid the smoke and find shelter. The city says they were all evacuated in the evening when the fire spread due to “heavy winds.”
The Table Mountain National Park, which covers most of the city’s undeveloped lands, had requested hikers to leave the area immediately and commuters to pick up their parked cars earlier in the day, even on social media.
The first alarm had been received just before 9:00 a.m. local time (07:00 GMT). Reinforcements were dispatched, and three helicopters aided the operations by dumping water packs on the blazes.
“Literary treasures have tragically disappeared,” but “some of the most valuable works could be saved thanks to the activation of rolling doors,” according to the city.
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