Trains set alight at Cape Town Station, services suspended

A number of motor coaches and passenger coaches were destroyed in a fire at the Cape Town Railway Station in the early hours of Thursday morning.

According to Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson of Cape Town Fire and Rescue, the City’s Fire and Rescue Service responded to the fires at 02:20 on Thursday.

“Fire at Cape Town Station (platforms 9/10/15 and 16) impacts morning peak train service. Regional train service is suspended until further notice. Commuters are advised to make use of own alternative transport.” pic.twitter.com/8DdMrisQYG

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) November 28, 2019

“The first arriving crews from Roeland Street Fire [Service] confirmed train carriages alight on platforms 9 and 10. Upon further investigation, it was found [there were] fires on platforms 12, 13 and 15 as well and more resources were requested to contain the blaze,” Carelse said.

A number of motor coaches and passenger coaches were destroyed and the fire was extinguished at 04:53.

No injuries were reported and the scene was handed over to the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (Prasa). The fires have severely affected train services in Cape Town on Thursday morning and left many commuters stranded.

📢 #ServiceUpdate
Service recovery underway following fire incident at Cape Town station. A limited train service operating on all lines (except Kapteinsklip/Chris Hani). Cape Town station platform changes apply (platforms 9-19 remain closed). Residual delays of 120+minss apply.

— Metrorail W/Cape (@MetrorailWC) November 28, 2019

📢 #MonteVistaLineCT #LineUpdate
The Monte Vista train service remains suspended until further notice, following earlier fire incident at Cape Town staion.

— Metrorail W/Cape (@MetrorailWC) November 28, 2019

Prasa’s Western Cape regional manager Richard Walker told eNCA that it appeared that the fires had been started deliberately. The cause is being investigated.

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