UPDATE: NSRI assist in Hout Bay Fire, Monday, 02nd March:
Photograph by Spencer Oldham.
On Monday the 2nd of March, NSRI Hout Bay continuing to assist the Emergency Services at a Fire that swept over Silvermine towards Chapmans Peak and Hout Bay during the night.
Sadly during the mid morning Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge has been largely gutted by fire despite extensive efforts by Fire and Rescue Services to save the buildings.
An SA Air Force helicopter has joined in the fire fighting efforts to contain a blaze between Silvermine and Hout Bay and the Hout Bay side of the fire has now reached the border of Hout Bay in the vicinity of No. 1 Chapmans Peak Drive.
NSRI Hout Bay volunteers are continuing to provide logistic assistance to the Fire and Rescue services and the Emergency services deployed to fight the fire.
NSRI Kommetjie assist with directing the traffic
THE NSRI IS APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC NOT TO COME TO HOUT BAY TO OBSERVE THE FIRE AS ACCESS ROADS FOR FIRE SERVICES AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES ARE GETTING BLOCKED BY ONLOOKERS ARRIVING APPARENTLY TO OBSERVE THE FIRE.
NSRI Hout Bay out on the water spotting for the SAAF Oryx helicopter at Tintswalo Lodge. Photograph by Spencer Oldham.
Original report:
At 04h00, Monday, 02 March, NSRI Hout Bay were place on alert for a fire that had swept over Silvermine and was heading towards Chapman's Peak and Hout Bay during the night.At 06h00 No. 1 Chapmans Peak Drive was evacuated as a precautionary measure, and the NSRI base in Hout Bay harbour was turned into the JOC (Joint Operations Control) with City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management setting up camp at the base, assisted by NSRI Hout Bay volunteers and manned by Emergency Services from Disaster Management, the SA Police Services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue, Hout Bay Neighbourhood Watch, ER24 ambulance services, WC Government Health EMS, VWS and NSRI Hout Bay. Our facility is being used as a Control Point for evacuations and a distribution point for food and refreshment for firemen and emergency services workers rotating shifts.The Sea Rescue base in Hout Bay will continue to be used as the JOC and a mustering point for evacuees, fire shift rotations, and a control point for the emergency services throughout the day.Tintswalo Atlantic Guest Lodge, a luxury Guesthouse below Chapman's Peak, was threatened by fire during the night and evacuated at 03h00 and although only a little scorched has been spared but appears to again be under threat as the fire has jumped the Chapman's Peak Drive.The Chapman's Peak toll gate was threatened by fire during the night but has also been spared.Baviaanskloof residents, above Hout Bay, are on stand-by to be evacuated if necessary.The WOF (Working on Fire) helicopters have joined the effort to contain the blaze between Hout Bay and Noordhoek.Our thoughts are with all the affected families and with all our colleagues fighting the blaze.NSRI pictures are available on
Sea Rescue's Flickr page.
Hout Bay Sea Rescue boat
Albie Mathews gives support for Hout Bay's NSRI rescue vehicle at Tintswalo. Photograph by Spencer Oldham.
NSRI boat
Albie Matthews on the water in Hout Bay. Photograph by Spencer Oldham.
Craig McIver gets food ready for the firefighting team.Photograph below with kind permission from
Arne Purves.
Pic with kind permission from Arne Purves www.photodestination.co.za
