Building inspectors have been called in to investigate the collapse of the balcony of a popular Cape Town club and restaurant, injuring scores of people, on Thursday. Photo: Western Cape Rapid Response Unit
Cape Town’s First Thursdays festivities turned into a chaotic nightmare when the balcony of popular restobar Athletic Club & Social’s club and restaurant, La Trip Club & Social, collapsed just before 6pm.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell confirmed a total of 21 casualties were taken to various hospitals and private clinics in the city.
“The City can confirm that the incident happened at 17:50 last night. The exact circumstances are not known. A city building inspector was on site last night and we are awaiting a report.”
The Citizen understands there were no fatalities reported.
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The accident raises serious questions over the structural integrity and safety of some of Cape Town’s hotspots housed in heritage buildings.
The Castle Street club and restaurant is situated in a three-storey building which dates back to the 1900s and, according to a heritage building maintenance manager Rashied Kamaldien, is not designed to accommodate the number of guests who were attending a staff party on Thursday.
“This heritage building is quite old and it wasn’t designed for functions like this. It was built for flats. It was an oversight from everyone’s side,” said Kamaldien, who spoke to eNCA outside the Athletic Club & Social after the incident.
Videos circulating on social media show disturbing footage of dazed and injured people lying on the ground amid the rubble, with bystanders and medics rushing to their side.
An eyewitness who rushed to the accident scene to help some of the injured people, told Daily Maverick one man was “badly hurt” and “bleeding heavily”.
The Athletic Club & Social, or ACS as it is often referred to, is a fan-favourite destination on First Thursdays during which city-goers frequent different spots once a month to soak up cultural experiences.
“First Thursday of the month, month-end. Oh my goodness, it could have been worse,” the witness added.
News24 spoke to some more bystanders at the scene on Thursday evening, who told the publication there were about 20 people on the balcony before it collapsed.
One of them who witnessed the collapse, said: “It was bad, bad, bad. So bad.”
Athos Euripidou, the owner of the venue, expressed his deep sadness and shock over the incident.
“We are all shocked and deeply saddened by the incident and wish to extend our heartfelt apology to those who were affected. We are praying that all those injured make a swift and full recovery,” he said in a statement on the venue’s Instagram page.
Euripidou said the venue was fully committed to working with the City of Cape Town and other relevant authorities to determine the cause of the balcony collapse.
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