CT fire: Homes being evacuated
2006-01-26 18:20
Cape Town - Homes in upper Tamboerskloof on the slopes of Lion's Head in Cape Town were being evacuated on Thursday evening, as a wildfire raged out of control on the lower slopes of Table Mountain.
Cape Town fire chief Piet Smith told Sapa the fire was threatening property below Tafelberg Road.
There are no private properties above the road. The suburbs below it include Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Higgovale, Gardens and Vredehoek.
Residents using handkerchiefs and T-shirts as makeshift masks, stood in the streets watching as 18 to 20 fire tenders fought the fire assisted by three helicopters with water buckets.
Pets
Some of them ran from the scene cradling pets in their arms. Others drove away with their dogs on the back of their bakkies.
As the flames licked closer to their homes, residents in one area used hosepipes, ice buckets and cooler boxes filled with water to douse the flames across the road.
Kloof Nek Road was closed to traffic.
"It's quite a large fire on the side of the mountain facing the dock area," said Smith.
Apart from firemen, officials from the national parks and the working on fire programme were also "throwing everything at it", he said.
Smith said the firefighters' task was being hampered by a strong south-easterly wind.
"A strong wind is fanning the flames and it's out of control."
He could not say when the fire might be brought under control.
Send us your eye witness accounts of the fire.
E-mail us your photos of the fire.
- SAPA