A fire that broke out at the neighboring farm in the early hours of Sunday morning, has resulted in devastating destruction to some of Blaauwklippen Estate’s iconic buildings.
The fire spread to the Manor House from the dam’s side, then to the Jonkershuis and eventually the Cathedral. All three buildings have burnt to the ground.
Six firefighting teams, including Blaauwklippen’s Disaster Management team together with neighbouring farms were on the scene within minutes to attend to the fire, one of five in the area.
Battling winds of up to 139km per hour, thankfully there were no injuries although the destruction was devastating.
Stellenbosch’s oldest wine farm, dating back to 1682, the Jonkershuis was built in 1720, the Manor House in 1789 with the latest addition being the popular wedding venue, the Cathedral built in 2018.
It’s a sad day indeed for Blaauwklippen as heritage landmarks have been destroyed in the terrible blaze, but the sadness is made easier to bear by the gratitude that no lives were lost and we acknowledge the swift evacuation and heroic efforts of our personnel – Stefan, Chrisma and their teams, who ensured that no one was injured.
Due to safety reasons, the property will be closed to the public until further notice.
The Cape Winelands District Municipality Fire Services have been kept busy with numerous ther fires too.
In Simonsberg, Pniel, the fire continues to burn, moving in the direction of Boschendal by strong winds.
At Solms Delta, Groot Drakenstein, CWDM Fire Services responded to a fire on Sunday morning that surpassed most structures but remains fueled by dense vegetation. Winelands FPA is providing assistance to neighboring farms such as Allee-Bleue and Lekkerwyn.
The fire at Keerweder, Drakenstein, remains uncontained. One structure has been destroyed, while another has suffered partial damage. Efforts are focused on protecting remaining structures.
On Paarl Mountain, Drakenstein Municipality, with support from Swartland Municipality, is battling a fire, still out of control. Strong winds pose a significant challenge, pushing the fire towards Rhebokskloof.
The public, particularly disaster tourists, have been urged to refrain from interfering with emergency response operations.
