A 40-year-old man will appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court today (8 February) regarding a fire which broke out at St George’s Cathedral on Sunday 6 February.
Cape Town Central police officers were alerted to a fire that was started in the basement of the cathedral in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Franklin James, cathedral administrator, says he was informed by members of the Central City Improvement District (CCID) just after 02:00 on Sunday.
He says swift action by members of CCID averted what he describes as years of history going up in flames.
In a statement, Martinus Jenkins, CCID safety and security night manager, says their response unit driver, Ronald Saunders, was alerted by a passing street person that a fire had broken out at the cathedral.
Jenkins says: “At 01:50, I overheard on our radio that Mr Saunders was informing Control that there seems to be a fire inside the basement of the St George’s Cathedral. I immediately made my way there, and on my arrival observed flames inside the basement and smoke coming out a ventilation hole. I also alerted Chris from community medics in case we had to deal with any injuries or casualties. He promptly responded to the scene.”
Jenkins says it was a team effort.
“We made use of the bigger extinguisher and also emptied it through the ventilation hole. It seemed that the flames were out but a few minutes later it started burning again. Fortunately, the fire and rescue truck arrived and after quickly explaining the situation to them, they jumped into action and pumped water into the basement.”
Tasso Evangelinos, CCID Chief Executive Officer (CEO), praises both Jenkins and Saunders for their quick thinking and timely response.
Evangelinos says: “We are extremely thankful that the fire at the St George’s Cathedral was extinguished as quickly as it was as it is an iconic building of religious, cultural and historical importance; not only in the Cape Town CBD and the city itself, but for the nation. Who can forget the moving scenes that only recently were witnessed here when South Africans came to pay tribute to the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. I commend our team and that of the City’s fire department.”
Cpt Ezra October, corporate communication officer for Cape Town Central Police Station, says a case docket for attempted arson is being investigated. “A suspect was arrested later during the afternoon by the investigator, Detective Sgt Lwandile Msindo, after viewing video footage from one of the hospitality establishments in Wale Street. The alleged suspect was detained and charged.”
In a statement, Rev Michael Weeder, Dean of the cathedral, says the extent of damage cannot be confirmed at this stage.
“The fire was an act of arson. It appears that a lit piece of cotton or gauze was thrown through the small, barred window near the steps leading up to the cathedral’s Wale Street entrance. Someone was spotted running away from the cathedral.”
Weeder says the burglar bar had to be broken so that the firefighters could gain access.
“The cloister area door also had to be broken open as at one stage the firefighters thought the fire was actually inside the cathedral … We thank God for the timeous intervention of the CCID, the cathedral security guard and the City’s fire department.”
James says: “We are thankful for a number of individuals like the CCID. Their staff responded swiftly, and they noticed the fire. And also the Taj hotel that provided the fire extinguisher and the police who responded so quickly. The fire was in the basement. No material things were there. In the coming days, we will assess the basement to see the damage there.”
