The cause of a devastating fire that ravaged a student accommodation block in Sunnyside at midnight on Sunday remains unknown and is currently under investigation.
Tshwane Emergency Services Department spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni said fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined by authorities.
The blaze occurred at a two-storey building that was currently undergoing renovations, located on Rissik Street.
Mnguni said the fire broke out on the first floor of the building, but firefighters dispatched to the scene before midnight were able to put it under control on Monday.
Upon arrival, firefighters reported that the fire was already raging on the first floor, with flames spreading rapidly through the rooms, which were divided by partition walls.
Mnguni said the department responded swiftly after the Emergency Communication Centre received a distress call at about 23:38 on Sunday, dispatching a fire engine from the nearby Hatfield fire station.
To reinforce the initial response, he said, additional firefighting resources were mobilised from various stations, including Central, Philip Nel Park, Hazelwood, Innesdale, and Silverton.
The back-up team brought a range of specialised equipment, including three fire engines, a ladder, a water tanker, a mobile command unit, a district commander’s unit and a video unit to support the firefighting efforts.
Mnguni said: “On arrival, the firefighters found out that a two-storey building that was being renovated and used for student accommodation, was well ablaze on the first floor, and that the fire was spreading fast through the rooms that were separated by partition walls.”
The fire damaged a total of eight rooms and two hallways and the ground floor and most of the first floor were saved from the blaze.
Mnguni said the firefighters also took measures to protect a nearby exposed building, preventing it from sustaining any damage.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department, the SAPS and other stakeholders were on the scene and assisted with incident management, he said.