Man arrested for CT blaze
2006-01-26 19:22
Cape Town - A man described as a foreigner in his early 30s has been arrested for causing the wildfire raging on the lower slopes of Table Mountain above the Cape Town city bowl.
"I can confirm that somebody has been arrested and he has been removed by the police," said Philip Prins, fire and technical services manager for Table Mountain National Park.
"All I can tell you is the fire started just above Tafelberg Road, near Platteklip Gorge, that's where this person actually started the fire and he has been arrested.
"I don't know how he started the fire, but I can confirm he was arrested."
According to local radio reports, the arrested man was part of a group of hikers.
He was described as being a foreigner in his early thirties, who appeared to be in a "daze".
Trapped
A 65-year-old British woman out walking with her daughter has reportedly died in the fire and three German tourists are reportedly trapped on the mountain.
Rescue crews are searching for them.
Four houses in upper Higgovale were reported ablaze at 18:00 and residents of the suburb were evacuating.
Homes in upper Tamboerskloof on the slopes of Lion's Head in Cape Town were also being evacuated.
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.
According to a witness, the fire has now also spread to Signal Hill.
Wind
The blaze is being fought by firefighters with 18 to 20 fire tenders, assisted by three helicopters with water buckets.
Prins said the helicopters could continue flying until 20:15, whereafter it would get too dark.
On the chances of bringing the fire under control by then, he said: "Not good.
Maybe the section below Tafelberg Road... but the one up on Lion's Head, definitely not."
Everything now depended on the wind, he said.
Smith earlier said the firefighters' task was being hampered by a strong south-easterly wind.
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- SAPA