On Monday, firefighters in Cape Town finally took control of a wildfire after it swept the slopes of the famous Table Mountain, burned the university’s historic library and forced the city’s residents to evacuate from parts of the city.
City officials said the fire, which started early Sunday morning, was “largely contained” more than 24 hours later.
The fire severely damaged the library and other buildings on the Cape Town University campus on Sunday, as well as other historic buildings nearby.
Fueled by strong winds, it spread through thickets on the mountain slopes to the city center and surrounding residential areas.
Devil’s Peak, one of the iconic points of the mountain that overlooks downtown Cape Town, was lit in flames as the fire raged throughout the night. Residents of the mountainside suburbs were evacuated early Monday morning as the fire spread dangerously close to their homes.
