Cape Town - Alexander Sinton High School said it had not suffered any damage after a fire was reported at the school on social media, with many fearing the historically-significant premises risked being gutted.
Instead, the school’s acting principal Ashrif Barday said a small piece of vegetation on the property had caught alight and was discovered just after 7.45pm on Tuesday, but was soon extinguished.
Barday said the cause of the fire was still unknown.
“However, what we know is that it started in the dry vegetation patch at the back of the school. The fire was contained by the quick response from the Crawford Neighbourhood watch and our night security guard who was on the premises,” he said.
Fire services were also dispatched, contacted by concerned residents and the school’s management.
“The containment of the fire happened just as load shedding was about to start,” Barday said.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Unathi Booi confirmed that a piece of grass patch at the school had burned, and that there was no damage to the school structure.