Cape Town engulfed in smoke as wildfires destroy university buildings

Record ID: 1611965

  • Title: Cape Town engulfed in smoke as wildfires destroy university buildings
  • Date: 19th April 2021
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (APRIL 19, 2021) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) VEHICLES MOVING NEAR INDIA GATE WAR MEMORIAL AS POLICEMEN AND OTHERS STAND NEAR BARRICADES INDIA GATE VARIOUS OF BARRICADING NEAR INDIAN SECRETARIATE BUILDINGS VARIOUS OF CROWD AT CHANDNI CHOWK MARKET IN OLD QUARTERS OF DELHI (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DELHI CHIEF MINISTER, ARVIND KEJRIWAL, SAYING: "We don't want to take Delh
  • Embargoed: 3rd May 2021 09:03
  • Keywords: Cape Town Fire South Africa disaster wildfire
  • Location: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Africa,Disaster/Accidents,Fires
  • Reuters ID: LVA001E96UH53
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: City officials are investigating on Monday (19 April) whether the fire which forced University of Cape Town students to evacuate on Sunday (April 18) was started deliberately.
    A wildfire on the slopes of South Africa's Table Mountain set several campus buildings ablaze, including the nearly 200-year-old library, and firefighters used helicopters to water-bomb the area.
    Cape Town Executive Mayor, Dan Plato, said on Monday (April 19) the fire is contained despite the strong winds blowing the flames in all directions.
    Two firefighters sustained injuries and were hospitalized for treatment, officials said. As of Monday morning, no injuries to civilians had been reported, the city said on Twitter.
    The city confirmed through a statement that one suspect in his thirties has been taken in custody for questioning.
    The fire started early on Sunday near a memorial to politician Cecil Rhodes, located on Devils Peak, another part of Cape Town's mountainous backdrop, before spreading rapidly up the slopes.
    Heavy smoke could be seen for kilometres away, some roads were closed and fire alerts were sent to mountain hikers.
    The university, ranked among the best on the continent, is largely built on the slopes of Devil's Peak and is situated close to where the fire started.
    (Production: Louisa Naks, Mindy Burrows, Mike Hutchings)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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