Fire breaks out at Unisa campus, cause not yet determined

A fire broke out at the University of South Africa (Unisa) Muckleneuk campus on the second floor of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building on Wednesday.

City of Tshwane emergency services department spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said the fire started at about 1am.  He said the cause has not yet been determined.

Mabaso said firefighting personnel dispatched to the incident noticed dense smoke billowing from the building before they arrived at the scene.

Firefighters had to force entry through three wooden doors and two steel roller doors to fight the blaze.

“Security officers at the campus later assisted by opening other doors. Firefighters managed to locate the seat of the fire after battling to open multiple doors and going through stacks of files, books and furniture. Firefighters found stacks of books and files smouldering in different places on the second floor and extinguished them,” said Mabaso.

Most of the second floor suffered extensive smoke and water damage, and part of the third floor also suffered smoke damage.

“An aerial ladder apparatus was used to open windows, and mechanical ventilation was conducted to rid the building of excessive smoke,” he said.

Mabaso said according to sources at the scene, a fire broke out in the same building about two weeks ago and was extinguished by staff. Emergency services were not notified.

The cost of the damage had not yet been determined.

TimesLIVE