Firefighters respond to smoke at Moving Tactic building in Woodstock - IOL

Emergency vehicles at the scene in New Market street, Woodstock where a building caught alight with smoke seen billowing from the outside.

A fire broke out at the Moving Tactic building at 56 Newmarket Street in Woodstock, Cape Town, at approximately 18:40 on Tuesday, prompting an emergency response from firefighters after smoke was spotted coming from the premises.

David Davis from Mainline, a neighbouring business said he was locking up to go home when he heard a loud bang coming from the building.

He said he noticed smoke as he was getting into his car and immediately contacted Cape Town's emergency services.

“When I was getting in my car and saw the smoke I said this could mean fire, I called to get help,” Davis said.

Dylan Pearson, head of technology at Moving Tactic, said the building was still undergoing renovations and contained limited equipment, although there was a substantial amount of electrical wiring inside.

“We are still renovating the place. There are a bunch of wires in there, which maybe could have caused the fire,” Pearson said.

PPA security personnel, who provide security services to Moving Tactic, were among the first to arrive at the scene. They said their controller had instructed them to investigate after receiving reports of a loud bang and the building's security alarm activated.

On arrival, they noticed smoke coming from the building before Cape Town firefighters arrived a few minutes later. Firefighters attempted to gain access to the premises to investigate the situation and establish the source of the smoke.

Thick smoke was seen coming from the building, although no visible flames were observed from outside.

The incident also caused concern among CPUT students at the neighbouring New Market Junction student accommodation, with some rushing out of their rooms after noticing the smoke.

Nolwazi, a CPUT student, said she initially feared the fire had broken out inside the residence.

“I thought maybe the fire was in the residence, so I quickly ran out of my room to see what was happening, only to find out that it was a few blocks away,” she said.

Traffic officers were also present to manage traffic flow as emergency vehicles occupied parts of the road, restricting the movement of passing motorists.

The cause of the fire had not been established at the time of reporting. However, a possible electrical fault was suspected, given that the building was still undergoing renovations and contained extensive wiring.

No confirmation of injuries or the extent of the damage was available at the time of publication.