The cause of a fire which damaged an East London hotel yesterday is still unknown.
The fire broke out on the second floor of the Protea Hotel in West Bank yesterday morning. About 20 tenants were checked into the establishment at the time.
Hotel owner Greg Quin was at his Cove Rock home when he received a call from an employee at 8.40am informing him that a section of the hotel had caught fire.
“When he called me I immediately called the fire brigade while I rushed to the hotel, and on arrival a team of firemen were putting out the fire.”
Quin said the fire broke out in room 8 which is situated in the far east wing of the hotel.
“Fortunately most of the 20 tenants who were booked with us were at work and nobody was harmed.”
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the scene, about six firemen were still there and the flames had been put out. Tenants were rushing in to gather their belongings while water dripped from the second floor.
Martin Pitzer, a tenant at the establishment for about eight months, said he was taking a nap after returning home at 5am from working night shift when he smelt smoke.
“At first I thought it was smoke coming from the harbour, but then I heard the sound of flames crackling and it sounded closer and closer so I jumped out of bed to investigate.
“I took a wet towel to cover my face and ran down to inform the barman who alerted other staff while I ran back up to see if everyone had evacuated the building.
“I tried to stop the fire with a hose pipe, but it was growing bigger and bigger, so I ran for my life.”
Several employees from Stefanutti Stocks, who are staying in the hotel as they work close by, ran to the hotel to check on their belongings.
MacDonald Mandyoli said they had seen smoke coming from the facility.
“We came with a tank of water and while we were heading towards it we were worrying about the worst. But fortunately nobody was harmed and only one room was burnt drastically and we have managed to rescue our belongings.”
Buffalo City Metro spokesman Sibusiso Cindi confirmed that early yesterday morning the BCMM fire department attended to the fire.
“It appeared that the fire started in one room and then spread to other rooms, causing extensive damage to the ceiling, floor, walls and furniture.”
Firefighters had to use two lines to douse the flames and it took them about 10 minutes to extinguish it.
“No one was found dead or injured,” Cindi said, adding that the cause had not been established and investigations were underway. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Tenants flee hotel after mystery fire
The fire broke out on the second floor of the Protea Hotel in West Bank yesterday morning. About 20 tenants were checked into the establishment at the time.
Hotel owner Greg Quin was at his Cove Rock home when he received a call from an employee at 8.40am informing him that a section of the hotel had caught fire.
“When he called me I immediately called the fire brigade while I rushed to the hotel, and on arrival a team of firemen were putting out the fire.”
Quin said the fire broke out in room 8 which is situated in the far east wing of the hotel.
“Fortunately most of the 20 tenants who were booked with us were at work and nobody was harmed.”
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the scene, about six firemen were still there and the flames had been put out. Tenants were rushing in to gather their belongings while water dripped from the second floor.
Martin Pitzer, a tenant at the establishment for about eight months, said he was taking a nap after returning home at 5am from working night shift when he smelt smoke.
“At first I thought it was smoke coming from the harbour, but then I heard the sound of flames crackling and it sounded closer and closer so I jumped out of bed to investigate.
“I took a wet towel to cover my face and ran down to inform the barman who alerted other staff while I ran back up to see if everyone had evacuated the building.
“I tried to stop the fire with a hose pipe, but it was growing bigger and bigger, so I ran for my life.”
Several employees from Stefanutti Stocks, who are staying in the hotel as they work close by, ran to the hotel to check on their belongings.
MacDonald Mandyoli said they had seen smoke coming from the facility.
“We came with a tank of water and while we were heading towards it we were worrying about the worst. But fortunately nobody was harmed and only one room was burnt drastically and we have managed to rescue our belongings.”
Buffalo City Metro spokesman Sibusiso Cindi confirmed that early yesterday morning the BCMM fire department attended to the fire.
“It appeared that the fire started in one room and then spread to other rooms, causing extensive damage to the ceiling, floor, walls and furniture.”
Firefighters had to use two lines to douse the flames and it took them about 10 minutes to extinguish it.
“No one was found dead or injured,” Cindi said, adding that the cause had not been established and investigations were underway. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
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