CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – A brand new blaze at the complicated housing South Africa’s parliament in Cape Town was brought under control in a single day, metropolis officials mentioned on Tuesday, as a suspect arrested in reference to the hearth was resulting from seem in court docket.
An preliminary hearth on Sunday precipitated the roof of the New Wing housing the meeting’s decrease chamber to break down. The roof of the Old Wing, which dates again to 1884 and homes the higher chamber, the National Council of Provinces, additionally partially collapsed.
The new blaze broke out on Monday.
“Around midnight the hearth was brought under control,” Cape Town metropolis officials mentioned in an announcement. “Teams at the moment are working their manner by way of the maize-like constructing, room-for-room, as they try and find and extinguish (scorching spots).”
“This is a prolonged course of, as some rooms are needing to have their inside picket cladding pulled aside, with a view to determine any hid scorching spots,” they mentioned.
A 49-yr-outdated man charged with arson and different offences together with theft was anticipated to seem in court docket on Tuesday.
The elite Hawks police mentioned on Monday the suspect was believed to have gained entry to the parliament by way of an workplace window.
The hearth swept by way of the buildings however officials have mentioned essential sections together with a museum with artworks and heritage objects had been saved, as was an embroidered tapestry telling the story of the Eastern Cape on the bottom ground of the Old Assembly Building.
(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Robert Birsel)
