The British citizen who allegedly started Thursday’s Table Mountain fire in which a woman died appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning.
Tonny Cooper (36) was released on bail of R3 000 and will appear in court again on February 10, police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Tummi Golding said.
Cooper — who faces charges of culpable homicide and arson — was arrested on Friday for allegedly starting the fires when he dropped a cigarette on the mountain.
An elderly British woman died, reportedly of smoke inhalation, when the fires engulfed the mountain.
Golding said the woman’s next of kin have asked that her name not be released.
Cape Town metro rescue spokesperson Cleeve Robinson said two other British visitors were guided down the mountain through the flames by rescuers on Thursday.
Winds of up to 60 knots continued to pound Table Mountain on Friday morning, but Thursday’s inferno was under control by daybreak.
Parts of the city remained engulfed in smoke, according to Clarence van Roodt, station commander at Cape Town Regional Control.
”[But] it [the blaze] is under control,” he said. ”There are a few hot spots high up on the mountain.”
He said that ”things calmed down” after about 9pm on Thursday. — Sapa