CAPE TOWN – A large fire has erupted at the Houses of Parliament in South Africa’s capital city, Cape Town, on Sunday.
Videos circulating on social media show huge flames and plumes of black smoke are coming out of the roof of the building.
Dozens of firefighters have reached the spot to douse the fire, which first started from the third floor of the building under mysterious circumstances.
It comes hours after Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s state funeral at St George’s Cathedral, near parliament.
SA Cape Town Parliamen's old Assembly Chamber, is on fire. pic.twitter.com/8q2NszLd6z
— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) January 2, 2022
According to South African officials, the fire also engulfed the National Assembly (the parliament’s lower house) chamber.
Sad visuals of the South African Parliament currently on fire in Cape Town.
The tragic destruction of important documents and historical artifacts in there.
Recently the University of Cape Town was also victim to a fire which destroyed important historical books and texts. pic.twitter.com/0ZKQbuZROM
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) January 2, 2022
Currently, there are no reports of injuries in the incident.
Fire and rescue service officials said it could take more than four hours to completely extinguish the blaze.
More to follow…
