An aerial view of Table Mountain’s cable car. Picture: Unsplash
Guests and staff were safely evacuated after a fire broke out at the Table Mountain National Park cableway lower cable station.
According to South African National Parks (SANParks) the fire, which started inside a garage in the building just before lunchtime has been contained.
“The City of Cape Town fire department managed this structural fire while Table Mountain National Park fire crew supported in the surrounding vegetation. Guests and staff have been safely evacuated from the Lower Cable station and there are no injuries reported,” said SANParks.
The authority responsible for the upkeep of South Africa’s parks said that about 400 guests at the upper Cable Station were kept up there initially due to the thick smoke from the lower cable station.
“The backup power system has been activated and evacuation via cablecars has now commenced. A number of guests chose to walk down Platteklip Gorge to evacuate before the cable car was operational and were assisted on the trail by SANParks rangers,” said SANParks.
SANParks also revealed that its ground crew also attended to wildfires on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, as well as the area above the upper block house on Devils Peak and at Kloofnek corner.
“No persons were present at these locations. All fires are now contained and mopping up operations are underway,” it said.