Fire breaks out on iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa
Fire has broken out on one of South Africa’s landmark attractions, the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town.
Report from news.cgtn.com, says that a large contingent of firefighters were battling “a raging blaze on Table Mountain, which overlooks the city of Cape Town” as at 15:00hrs on Sunday November 1, 2020. Although the immediate cause of the fire has not been stated, it is alleged that the fire broke out on the lower slopes of the mountain above Deer Park Drive on Saturday evening.
The South African government resumed international travel on October 1, aiming to boost the tourist market hit hard by coronavirus pandemic. But the sudden Table Mountain fire has cast a shadow over the prospects of the country’s tourism industry.
According to the local City Fire and Rescue Service, the fire broke out at the foot of the mountain at 6 p.m. on October 31 and the blaze spread quickly halfway up the 1,086-meter-high mountain because of the strong wind.
The dense smoke caused by the fire quickly covered the sky around Table Mountain, resulting in a significant decrease in visibility in surrounding areas, and people in neighboring areas could also smell a strong smell of soot.
The fire department dispatched 17 firefighting appliances and 70 firefighters at first time, and 20 staff members and three vehicles from Table Mountain National Park were also on the scene. More firefighters will join them to contain the fire.No casualties or property damage was reported so far.
