Massive fire completely destroys South African parliament

A large fire broke out in the South African Parliament in Cape Town, completely destroying the building.

Completed in 1884, the oldest building of the Houses of Parliament, with its wooden panel rooms, began its flame investigation, which began around 0300 GMT on Sunday.

“The entire room in which the members were sitting … was burned down,” Moroto Mosapo said, adding that the flames hadn’t gone out yet.

No casualties have been reported so far, but President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters that he had been arrested on the scene.

“Someone is now detained and cross-examined,” he said.

The historic building contains a rare collection of books and an original copy of the already damaged former Afrikaans national anthem, “The Call of South Africa.”

“The entire building was extensively damaged by smoke and water,” said Jean-Pierre Smith, a member of the Mayor’s Committee on Safety and Security in Cape Town.

After destroying the old building of the building, the flames spread to new parts of the complex currently in use.

“Firefighters are now trying to control the fire in the new building, where the fire is affecting the Parliament,” Congress spokesman Mothapo said in an online press conference earlier that day.

The Cape Town Parliament Building consists of three sections, including the original oldest building completed in 1884.

A new additional facility built in the 1920s and 1980s is the Parliament.

In March, another fire broke out on the wings of the old parliament, but it was quickly contained.

Source: TRT World and distributors