Shop owners looked on in dismay as fire raged through their buildings destroying everything in its path last week.
While many people started their braais to celebrate their heritage, police officers, fire fighters and eMalahleni City Council law enforcement worked for hours on end trying to secure the area and extinguish the fire.
Botha Street in the Central Business District of eMalahleni was covered in smoke on Thursday, September 24.
On Thursday, September 24 on National Heritage Day shop owners were busy closing up their shops in the Central Business District (CBD) when a fire started in one of the shops at approximately 16:00.
A police officer stands and watches as the fire lights up the night sky in Botha Street as four shops burnt down.
The smoke from the shops in Botha Street could clearly be seen on the N4 highway.
Emalahleni Fire Department was called to the scene to extinguish the fire and to stop the fire from spreading to other shops in the vicinity.
It took six fire engines, one fire engine from Middelburg, and three water trucks to douse the fire.
Just when the fire fighters thought they had the fire under control it would start to ignite in a new area and the fight started again.
Fire fighters spray water on top of the roof as they extinguish the fire.
Shop owners in the area stayed open as they supplied water and cool drinks to the fire fighters, police officers and other law enforcement units.
The Executive Mayor, Cllr Lindiwe Ntshalintshali and Station Commander Brigadier Sifuso Cele also visited the scene.
It took over almost four hours to extinguish the fire by 20:00 it was all over and the police could start their investigation.
The forensic arson team also arrived on scene to do their investigation into see what caused the fire.
An aerial view of the four shops in Botha Street that burnt down on Thursday, September 24.
“The fire fighters did well and worked together, nobody sustained injuries. The damage is extensive and the building with four shops was destroyed,” said Mr Theo van Vuuren, Acting Municipal Manager.
The cause of the fire is unknown and the estimated damage to the buildings could run into the millions.
