Cape Town - Firefighters on the West Coast battled for hours to contain a fire that engulfed the Shelley Point Hotel & Spa, destroying the iconic venue.
The fire at the historic hotel in St Helena Bay saw helicopters and a spotter plane being brought in to water-bomb the area as guests and staff were evacuated.
Saldanha Bay mayor Andre Truter said that authorities were alerted to the incident at about 7am yesterday morning.
“The fire started in one of the kitchens of one of the smaller restaurants. When the staff opened the door at about 7am, that is when they noticed the flames had engulfed the entire kitchen. Initially their own fire crew attended the fire, but when it could not be contained other authorities were contacted.”
Truter said that fortunately a fire engine from the Saldanha Bay Municipality was close by and responded immediately as other municipalities quickly dispatched available resources.
“There was enough time to evacuate all the hotel guests and staff. Two helicopters and a spotter plane were brought in, but initially they could not see through the mist. As soon as it cleared they started water-bombing.
“The firefighters worked relentlessly for nearly seven hours to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the nearby estate, which like the hotel was at full capacity, and homes near the estate.”
He said the fire was fanned by south-easterly winds, but thankfully most of the damage was restricted to the hotel.
“During the fire there were no injuries or fatalities for the guests, staff or firefighting crews. Once the fire got into the thatch roofs it spread quickly, which ironically had recently been upgraded. The hotel also recently installed solar panels and we were able to save the room where all the equipment and inverters are kept.”
“The hotel was definitely the oldest and the largest in St Helena Bay and my biggest concern is for the 120 staff who have been affected. There are several poorer communities around the hotel where the staff come from and this will definitely affect them.
“The community was saddened, but the way they came together to assist was amazing. At some point we had to stop residents from bringing refreshments for firefighters as the community banded together with the crews to get the fire under control.”
Hotel management could not be reached, but posted a brief update on Facebook: “We’re saddened to report a severe fire incident at Shelley Point Hotel. For assistance with guests, spa visits or bookings please email Surina at [email protected]. Due to high call volumes email communication is preferred. Your understanding is appreciated.”