---
title: "About 400 people evacuated from Table Mountain after cable station blaze contained"
description: "Firefighters on Thursday afternoon fought to contain a fire at the Table Mountain lower cableway station on Tafelberg Road, Cape Town, which left about 400 people stuck atop the mountain for several hours."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "CAPE INFERNO"
author: "Victoria O’Regan and Lisakanya Venna"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/victoria-oregan-and-lisakanya-venna/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-24-about-400-people-evacuated-from-table-mountain-after-cable-station-blaze-contained/"
published: "2024-10-24T21:26:04"
updated: "2024-10-24T21:26:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 443
---

# About 400 people evacuated from Table Mountain after cable station blaze contained

> Firefighters on Thursday afternoon fought to contain a fire at the Table Mountain lower cableway station on Tafelberg Road, Cape Town, which left about 400 people stuck atop the mountain for several hours.

By Victoria O’Regan and Lisakanya Venna · Published 24 October 2024, 23:26 SAST · Updated 24 October 2024, 23:26 SAST

## Key points
- 400 tourists found themselves on a "longer-than-expected" cable car ride atop Table Mountain, courtesy of a lithium battery fire at the lower station.
- Over 400 people were stranded on Table Mountain after a fire broke out at the lower cableway station, reportedly caused by lithium batteries.
- The City of Cape Town fire department, supported by SANParks, contained the blaze by 4:45 PM, with no injuries reported.
- Guests at the upper cable station were initially kept there due to thick smoke, but evacuation via cable cars had since commenced.
- Tafelberg Road remained closed as fire services monitored for flare-ups; authorities praised for their swift response to the incident.

## Content

At least 400 people were stranded on Table Mountain on Thursday afternoon after a blaze broke out at the lower cableway station.

The fire, which started inside the parking garage inside the lower cableway station on Tafelberg Road at about 1pm, was contained at about 4.45pm. Guests and staff were evacuated from the station and no injuries were reported.

> Cape Town - [#TableMountain](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TableMountain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Fire at the Lower Cable Car station - reports suggest Lithium battery fire [pic.twitter.com/EhFDwLOeMg](https://t.co/EhFDwLOeMg)
>
> — TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) [October 24, 2024](https://twitter.com/TrafficSA/status/1849441925717242104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

“The City of Cape Town fire department managed this structural fire while Table Mountain National Park fire crew supported in the surrounding vegetation,” said South African National Parks (SANParks) on Thursday evening.

**Read more:**[Year of disasters leaves Western Cape with multibillion-rand shortfall](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-08-year-of-disasters-leaves-western-cape-with-multibillion-rand-shortfall/)

SANParks said about 400 guests at the upper cable station atop Table Mountain were kept up there for a few hours, “initially due to the thick smoke” at the lower cable station.

![A view from the top of Cape Town’s Table Mountain from the upper cable station. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sunday Times / Esa Alexander)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/EgYJdkvqeHxD1dnL85i3v9v94FI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AV_00028441.jpg)

*A view from the top of Cape Town’s Table Mountain from the upper cable station. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sunday Times / Esa Alexander)*

“The backup power system has been activated and evacuation via cable cars has now commenced.

“A number of guests chose to walk down Platteklip Gorge to evacuate before the cable car was operational and were assisted on the trail by SANParks rangers,” said the organisation.

**Cause unknown**

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) spokesperson Martin Slabbert said the cause of the fire was not yet known.

“Lithium batteries that are used as backup energy sources for operating the cable cars caught fire, but the fire is now under control. Fire services are still on the scene (as at 3.45pm) to monitor for flare-ups and Tafelberg Road is still closed to traffic.

“The cable cars are able to operate again, and we have started to bring the 400 people that were stuck at the top safely back down,” said Slabbert.

> Fire at Cable Lower Station at Table Mountain. Kloof Nek Rd & Tafelberg Rd entrance to Cable Station closed, use alternative route.
>
> — City of CT Alerts (@CityofCTAlerts) [October 24, 2024](https://twitter.com/CityofCTAlerts/status/1849456800887693736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

**Read more:**[‘Cape of Storms’ – climate researchers explain Cape Town’s recent extreme weather](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-04-cape-of-storms-climate-researchers-explain-cape-towns-recent-extreme-weather/)

“No injuries were reported today. We thank all visitors and members of the public for their understanding as we worked with authorities to bring the fire under control,” said Wahida Parker, managing director of the TMACC.

“We also express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the roleplayers and stakeholders who helped in responding to the fire — Cape Town fire services, Cape Town Tourism, Table Mountain National Park, traffic services and all our other partners.” **DM**