CAPE TOWN, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A fire engulfing South Africa’s parliament continued to rage as night fell on Cape Town on Monday, after strong winds reignited the blaze that firefighters had declared under control just hours earlier.
A 49-year-old man has been charged over starting the inferno which broke out early Sunday and has devastated the parliament complex, collapsing the roof of the National Assembly and threatening historic treasures.
After a struggle that stretched into Sunday night, the fire was believed to have been brought under control, with exhausted firefighters leaving the site to the cheers of onlookers and journalists.
But temperatures in the smouldering houses of parliament were still around 100 degrees Celsius (210 degrees Fahrenheit), rescue workers warned.
Then the wind picked up and shortly before 5 pm (1500 GMT) a thick column of smoke sparked fresh fears — within minutes flames were again pouring out of the windows and roof of the building.
Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo said “the entire chamber where the members sit… has burned down.”
Many firefighters had left the site once the flames were brought under control, but rushed back on Monday, with 60 still working into the night.
New equipment capable of projecting water from great heights also arrived at the scene.
The police said that a 49-year-old man had been arrested and would appear in court on Tuesday charged with “housebreaking, arson” and damaging state property.
No casualties have been reported in the fire, but the damage to the nation’s parliament has shocked the country.
A government delegation met mid-Monday with experts and engineers to establish an initial evaluation of the damage, but was interrupted by the fire restarting. A preliminary report is due on Friday. — NNN-AGENCIES
