South Africa’s national assembly building destroyed by massive fire
- President Ramaphosa says someone is being questioned about the blaze; it happened when parliament was closed for the holidays
- Historic building houses collection of rare books and original copy of the former Afrikaans national anthem used during apartheid era
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A massive fire in South Africa’s houses of parliament in Cape Town has “burned down” the entire National Assembly where elected parliamentarians sit, a government spokesperson said on Sunday.
“The entire chamber where the members sit … has burned down,” Moloto Mothapo said, adding that the blaze had still not been extinguished.
The historic building houses a collection of rare books and the original copy of the former Afrikaans national anthem used during the apartheid era, Die Stem Suid-Afrika (The Voice of South Africa), which was already damaged.
The cause of the fire is unknown. Police spokeswoman Thandi Mbambo said: “A man has been arrested inside the parliament, he’s still being interrogated. We have opened a criminal case. He has been arrested and will appear in court on Tuesday.”
Jean-Pierre Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security, said the parliament’s fire alarm only rang when firefighters were already on site.
The fire started at around 3am on Sunday in the parliament’s oldest wing before spreading to newer parts of the complex which are currently in use. Parliament had been closed for the holidays.
A team of firefighters who were first to arrive at the scene battled the flames for several hours before being forced to retreat and call for reinforcements.
Some 70 firefighters were later deployed, some using a crane to spray water on the blaze.
The president also said it seemed “the sprinkler system did not work as it was supposed to, but their (firefighters’) appearance and their coming here has saved a very important national asset of our government”.
