Cape Town - The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service is attending to a fire at the lower cableway station on Tafelberg Road.
A bank of lithium batteries is burning and is creating a lot of smoke in the immediate vicinity.
Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said that this is an active incident and “we’ll provide more information as it becomes available”.
Fire crews were also working to extinguish a fire above the Quarry near Strand Street.
“The emergency call was received at approximately 12:15 of vegetation alight.
“Crews from Sea Point, Roeland Street and Salt River are on scene as well as a crew from Table Mountain National Parks,” Carelse said.
“By 13:00, firefighters managed to contain the fire.”
Carelse said that efforts to completely extinguish the fire are ongoing.
@capeargus_news WATCH | City firefighters working to extinguish a fire at the lower cableway station... More: https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/city-firefighters-working-to-extinguish-fire-at-lower-cableway-station-22ce6e49-ed98-4a19-8a1a-05349e97b66c #fire #capetown #cableway #tablemountaincapetown #cityofcapetown #cityofcapetownfireandrescue ♬ ■ News News-Drone-IT-AI(963995) - ImoKenpi-Dou
Previously, the City said that between October 2021 and January 2022, the Fire and Rescue Service recorded 5 331 vegetation fires.
During the same period in 2023/24, this number increased to 7 190 – representing an increase of 35%.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith said: “The past summer in particular was a massive drain on resources, particularly in the south peninsula.
“I think the City’s playbook for vegetation fires is quite well-established, and we are constantly looking to see how we can expand on those resources and existing plans. But it’s important to acknowledge that the public has a role to play,” Smith said.
“Living on the urban edge comes with great responsibility and property owners must ensure that their properties are safeguarded, in the event of fire. That responsibility also extends to ensuring that they aren’t responsible for starting a fire,” said Smith.