Cape Argus E-dition

Suspicious vehicle seen at site of Table Mountain fire

SHAKIRAH THEBUS shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za

INDEPENDENT fire investigator, Enviro Wildfire Services is looking at offering a reward of up to R10 000 to anyone for information pertaining to a vehicle seen on CCTV footage at the site of the blaze that destroyed about 600ha of land on Table Mountain.

The fire that caused extensive damage to historical buildings, a number of buildings at UCT’s upper and middle campuses, and private property, started at about 8.40am on April 18, at Hospital Bend, close to Philip Kgosana Drive.

South African National Parks (SANParks) appointed Enviro Wildfire Services to conduct an independent investigation into the cause of the fire.

A summary of the report findings was shared during a media briefing at the SANParks headquarters in Tokai, yesterday.

Lead investigator Rob Erasmus said: “Using CCTV footage we were able to determine that before the fire started a vehicle was observed pulling off the road onto the shoulder of the road, and proceeding to drive very slowly on the shoulder of the road until a point approximately opposite to where the fire had originated.

“Without stopping, the vehicle then carried on driving off the shoulder of the road back onto the road and proceeded on Nelson Mandela Drive …

“We know the make and model of the vehicle, but we will not be providing that information to the public at this point in the investigation.”

Natural causes were ruled out as a cause of the fire, as well as accidental/ negligence or vagrant activity such as an abandoned camp or cooking fires.

The evidence is being investigated by law enforcement.

The fire spread as a result of windblown smouldering embers landing in and on dry combustible materials such as thatch, exotic pines, palm trees, ivy, and leaves in gutters, the report found.

Unfavourable conditions such as low humidity and warm weather contributed to the spread of the fire.

There are two investigations under way – for the fire that started in the morning, and for three separate fires that started in the evening at about 8.35pm, adjacent to Philip Kgosana Drive.

The evening fires did not contribute to the spread or loss suffered as a result of the morning fire, and there is no link between the two, according to the report.

One man was arrested for starting the evening fire.

The report is available and can be accessed from the SANParks website.

SANParks acting chief executive, Dr Luthando Dziba, said the investigation was continuing and so the report was a summary of the investigation to date.

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2021-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

http://capeargus.pressreader.com/article/281513639121481

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