30 Oct Firefighters extinguish blaze at Table Mountain cableway station

Firefighters successfully extinguished a fire at the lower cableway station on Tafelberg Road, Cape Town, after the building was evacuated earlier today.

The fire originated from a bank of lithium batteries, producing thick smoke that spread throughout the immediate area, according to Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services.

Wahida Parker, Managing Director of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC), confirmed that the fire broke out in the parking garage of the lower station. “

Our fire suppression system activated immediately to contain the flames, and our emergency response plan was swiftly implemented,” said Parker. “The City of Cape Town’s Fire Services arrived promptly to assist. Our top priority is the safety of our visitors, and we thank everyone for their cooperation during the evacuation.”

Parker added that all visitors on the mountain are being brought down safely, and the cableway will remain closed until fire services provide clearance to resume operations.

Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services, stated that firefighters will stay on site to monitor the area, ensuring the lithium batteries do not reignite.

He also reported that firefighting crews from Sea Point, Roeland Street, and Salt River, along with support from Table Mountain National Parks (TMNP), are tackling a separate fire above the quarry near Strand Street. While that fire has been contained, work to fully extinguish it continues.

The City’s fire services remain on high alert, actively working to secure the area and ensure visitor safety at Table Mountain’s iconic cableway.