Major fire devastates South Africa’s Parliament

JP Smith, a member of Cape City’s native metropolis council answerable for security and safety, stated fireplace providers had been first alerted shortly after 6 a.m. native time on Sunday, after plumes of smoke started to fill the air within the part of the constructing often called the Outdated Meeting. Hours later the constructing was nonetheless burning, as greater than 70 firefighters continued to battle the blaze.

Police stated they’ve taken a 51-year-old man into custody for questioning, however didn’t launch any additional particulars. South African authorities stated the reason for the fireplace continues to be unknown.

The flames unfold from the Outdated Meeting into working elements of the parliamentary constructing that embody workplaces and the gymnasium space, gutting it fully and inflicting the roof to break down, stated Jermaine Carelse, spokesman for Cape City’s fireplace and rescue service.

Within the Nationwide Meeting space, constructed within the Twenties, the ceiling collapsed and the thick smoke posed dangers to the firefighters.

The constructing complicated is a chosen heritage website within the Cape City metropolis heart and is the principle working legislative website of the South African authorities.

A earlier fireplace on the Outdated Meeting final March broken a number of areas together with workplaces and committee rooms.

“That is devastating information,” stated South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in remarks to the media, including that the sprinkler system within the constructing didn’t seem to work correctly.

The president’s annual state-of-the-nation handle is often delivered in February on the parliament. One other venue is prone to be wanted for the approaching handle by Mr. Ramaphosa.

Themba Gubula, spokesman of a giant union, stated that safety personnel on the parliament had been informed to not work additional time over the vacations due to finances constraints.

This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content