IN PICS: 100-year-old Potch train station destroyed in fire

The historic Potchefstroom train station building, built in 1919, has been destroyed in a fire. 

Potchefstroom Herald reported on Saturday that the fire took place on Saturday evening.

Transnet security guard Lawrence Mtshali told Potchefstroom Herald that around 11pm, he saw the roof of the station on fire. 

“It’s terrible! I was in the office and first smelled the smoke. When I went outside the roof was on fire. I immediately told my colleague to call the fire brigade.” 

The fire was brought under control just after midnight on Sunday. 

The operational division officer for the local fire station said when firefighters arrived at the scene, the roof of the building had already collapsed. He said it was impossible to determine what the cause of the fire is, but that investigations will continue at the scene until Monday. 

Potchefstroom’s first train station connecting the town to Krugersdorp was built in 1897, but was replaced in 1919 with the Cape-Dutch style station. 

Potchefstroom Herald reports that this is the second building in the town to be destroyed by a fire. In July, officers’ living quarters in Witrand, which was party of a British military camp 107 years ago, was also destroyed. 

This article was translated from Afrikaans by Nica Richards. Read the original article here.