After a four-hour battle, Durban firefighters on Monday night brought under control a blaze that had ripped through a 32-storey building in the city centre.
Three helicopters — from the police, national Ports Authority and the army — airlifted at least 70 people from the roof of the Seaboard Hotel, which caught fire at about 7pm.
The hotel stands on the corner of West Street and Brickhill Road.
Five firefighters were injured, four by smoke inhalation and one with minor burns.
Two firefighters who were trapped in the building earlier in the night were among the five, who were all been taken to hospital.
eThekwini fire chief Mark Te Water said the greatest difficulty was getting a reliable water supply. Crews from six fire stations had been pulled in to fight the blaze.
By midnight fire crews were going through the four affected floors — 8th to 12th — damping them down.
Authorities were searching for alternative accommodation for those who lived in the top 18 floors. The lower floors are offices.
A 70-year-old man was found sleeping on the 14th floor by the police’s search-and-rescue unit. He was overcome by smoke inhalation, and police carried him up 18 floors to the roof.
Unconfirmed reports were that six civilians had received medical treatment. Precise numbers could not be obtained, as helicopters flew those lifted off the roof to two separate treatment points.
One treatment point was Addington Hospital. The other was the eThekwini metro police station at North Beach.
No one has been allowed back in the building, and electricity was cut off.
The fire started on the 8th floor. Police Inspector Michael Reed said the cause was not immediately known. Foul play was not suspected at this stage.
The 11th floor was occupied by detectives of the Point Police Station. Reed said all the dockets had been burnt, but had all been scanned into computers, so no information was lost. Duplicate dockets would be printed in the morning.
Captain Adele Sonekus said: ”All my certificates are up there.”
Among those rescued was a seven-month-old baby, Loubeine Oosthuizen.
The nearby Palm View Hotel responded to the crisis by making cups of tea for the survivors and medical crews.
A citizen served cold drinks to police and firefighters.
For several hours West Street and Brickhill Road were cordoned off.
A hydraulic platform — a crane with a hose — fought the fire from outside the building, its spray only reaching to the 8th, 9th and 10th floors.
Several fire crews fought the fire inside the building.
Police were posted to keep curious crowds of onlookers away so that firemen could work.
The premier of KwaZulu-Natal, S’bu Ndebele, eThekwini municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe and provincial minister of safety and security Bheki Cele all attended the scene.
Earlier, loudspeakers issued messages in English, Zulu and Portuguese, telling occupants to get to the roof. — Sapa