Cape Town - The City of Cape Town's Fire and Rescue Service had to respond to three separate incidents of trains catching fire on Friday.
Commenting on the incident at Firgrove station in Somerset West, just before 2pm, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue spokesperson Theo Layne said in a statement firefighters are "currently dealing with two rail carriages that have been set alight. No injuries have been reported and we have 16 firefighters attending at the scene"
Regarding another incident just after 2pm, Layne said: "The City's Fire and Rescue Service responded to Cape Town station where we are dealing with one train that is alight.
"The train is currently in the railway station area and firefighting efforts have been hampered by the thick, black smoke emitting from the station area. No injuries have been reported as yet and the cause is undetermined at this stage."
Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille confirmed the incident on Twitter, tweeting: “So sad every time this happens. Another train set alight at Cape Town station. There is no justification for this crime and vandalism that impacts people who need this transport most."
Cape Town fire station commander Gerhard Swanepoel and Mayco member for safety and security, and social services JP Smith inspect the damage at Cape Town station on Friday. Picture: City of Cape Town
At 12.26pm on Friday, a train at Mbekweni Station in Paarl caught fire, which brought schedule changes and delays to the Northern Line.
A shooting incident allegedly took place aboard the train, Metrorail’s statement read, but no injuries were reported.
“SAPS, Metrorail Protection Services, a forensic team, Fire and Rescue, Transnet Freight Rail and Train Operations crews remain on-site for the requisite investigations,” the statement added.
Commuters in Cape Town are expected to face serious delays.
Some stranded commuters claimed the delays were not caused by the fires but by poor service from Metrorail as trains were often subject to delays throughout the week.
Morne Snyman from Johannesburg, who has been in Cape Town since January, said travelling with trains has been very difficult for him. He said trains were always too full and mostly delayed.
“It’s dangerous, there is no security in the train and they always announcing delays. I have been waiting here for more than two hours now.”
Asked if he had any alternative transport to get home, he said: “No I don’t and I live in a shelter, I have to be there at 5:30 pm and if I’m not there the gate gets locked and it’s on the weekend meaning that I must only come back on Monday. If I get locked out, I will live on the street with no food, nothing,” he said.
Another commuter, a 60-year-old woman from Retreat said: “The whole situation is insane, it’s so frustrating, I’m tired and you have to be tired at the end of the day by this."
Metrorail meanwhile, said that a more than 60-minute delay is expected on the Northern Line, while the delays on the Southern Line is not yet known.
But with platforms 2 and 3 affected by the fire at Cape Town station, long delays are expected on the Southern Line as wel
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, and social services JP Smith, who visited the scene at Cape Town station, confirmed at 5pm that all the fires in question had been extinguished.
Mao