‘History is burning’ — devastation caused by raging Cape Town mountain fire
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Image: Ruvan Boshoff
Scores of social media users have expressed shock and sadness after raging Cape Town mountain fires destroyed the University of Cape Town’s Jagger Library and Mostert’s Mill among other heritage sites on Sunday.
Many shared messages of support and gratitude to members of the city’s firefighting department as they continue to work around the clock to contain the blaze.
City of Cape Town fire and rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse told TimesLIVE the department was alerted about the fire on Sunday morning.
“At about 8.45am the city’s fire and rescue service was alerted to a vegetation fire above Philip Kgosana Drive. Fire crews were immediately dispatched to the scene with the fire spreading from Rhodes Memorial towards the University of Cape Town (UCT),” he said.
UCT has suspended academic activities and affected students have been moved to emergency accommodation and provided with food.
JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security, described the heritage losses as tragic.
“Tragically we have lost the Mostert Mill, which was built in 1796 and was the oldest surviving working windmill in SA, and four thatched-roof houses behind it. It is irreplaceable. I understand a building was gutted on the UCT campus and we have heard about the library. These are all tragic heritage losses,” he said.
These are some of the responses on social media:
As a kid in primary school, I attended in Mowbray. We used to do weekly walks to Mostert's Mill... This breaks my heart😔 https://t.co/V8G8Q4dP88
— Dean Roberts 🌱 (@TheVeganBoss) April 19, 2021
Hitting refresh for Cape Town fire updates. Unbelievably harrowing and saddening to see flames from Rhodes Mem to UCT to Mostert’s Mill and more. Sending all my thoughts to folks in CT.
— Nicky Schrire (@nickyschrire) April 18, 2021
The uni that is now up in flames 💔 I spent many sun rises and sunsets on this campus pic.twitter.com/PtMEDYQ7OO
— Wiblash (@wiblash_) April 18, 2021
Built in 1796, Mostert’s Mill in Cape Town, the oldest working windmill in South Africa, was all but destroyed today. #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/BW6THnNxTJ
— Lex Loizides (@lexloiz) April 18, 2021
This fire is making me sadder than it should ☹️ my old home is on fire. Old library. Everything 😔
— Candice King 🐝✨ (@ItzCandyRox) April 18, 2021
Mostert’s Mill was one of those comforting landmarks on the way back in from the airport.
Feeling for all those displaced people and the animals 💔
Mostert's Mill damaged which suggests the fire has jumped the M3. Please, Cape Town, stay away away from Newlands and Rosebank and let the fire teams fight this monster without having to work around you. #capetownfire
— Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) April 18, 2021
My mom, brother and me at Mostert’s Mill in Mowbray 💔#capetownfire pic.twitter.com/OASHku6aJB
— TiaraRay 👑 (@SydenhamStekkie) April 19, 2021
Mostert’s Mill, a landmark, a historic building-gone, so sad 😞 #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/Gvm1EMvBd2
— Gabs geimpft 💉💪🏼 (@muetend_hp) April 18, 2021
A wildfire has swept down the back of Table Mountain and torn through the library at the University of Cape Town destroying irreplaceable collections of African studies literature.
— Mary Lloyd (@MaryLloyd4) April 18, 2021
For four years I spent countless hours among those books. This is sickening to see. #uctfire pic.twitter.com/sQdzKAomiE
The loss of heritage today is unimaginable and simply hard to grapple with 💔 #uctfire
— Waseefa (@Cfa89) April 18, 2021
UCT Library's special collections in the Jagger Building... destroyed
— Tracey Nic (@Triashle1) April 18, 2021
😢 irreplaceable.#uctfire #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/M6P0FRQkkz
Meanwhile, my university is burning! That’s the Jameson Hall. I graduated inside that building. Heartbreaking images. University of Cape Town. Ranked 1st in Africa, 150 in the world. History, culture, what will the students do? #uctfire pic.twitter.com/cPQDywuRQ3
— James Endersby (@JamesEnders) April 18, 2021
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