400 evacuated as fire breaks out at Table Mountain cable car station

A fire that broke out at the Table Mountain National Park cableway lower cable station on Thursday afternoon has been contained and guests and staff safely evacuated.

South African National Parks (SANParks) said the fire started inside a garage in the building just before lunchtime and Cape Town's fire department fought the structural fire while Table Mountain National Park fire crew supported in the surrounding vegetation.

Guests and staff were safely evacuated from the lower cable station and there were no injuries reported.

“About 400 guests at the upper Cable Station were kept up there initially due to the thick smoke from the lower cable station. The backup power system has been activated and evacuation via cablecars has now commenced,” SANParks said.

A number of guests chose to walk down Platteklip Gorge to evacuate before the cable car was operational and were helped by SANParks rangers.

The SANParks ground crew also attended to wild fires on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, as well as the area above the upper block house on Devils Peak and at Kloofnek corner. No-one was present at these locations. All fires are now contained and mopping up operations are under way.

Cape Town City fire and rescue services said a bank of lithium batteries caught fire on Thursday afternoon.

“The fire has been extinguished, but staff remain on site to ensure that the batteries do not reignite, and that the area is safe,” spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said. 

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