Cape Town - Police have reportedly apprehended three teenagers after a train was set on fire at Muizenberg station.
On Thursday afternoon a massive plume of toxic black smoke rose above Muizenberg from the train burning on the tracks at the station.
Passengers evacuated as the three metrorail coaches were destroyed in the fire.
The City of Cape Town’s executive director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, said police apprehended three teenagers in connection with the incident. They were held at the Muizenberg police station.
City officials said they suspected the cause of the fire was arson. No injuries had been reported.
Firefighters on the scene had their hoses ready but were unable to douse the blaze because the high voltage overhead cables were still live.
One firefighter said they were waiting for the electricity to be switched off.
“We can’t put water on that fire with electricity on in those cables. It’ll kill you,” one unidentified fireman said.
Staff at a nearby bottle store said the fire had started around 5pm. The interior of the shop was hazy with smoke.
By 6.50pm it was still burning – apparently spreading from one coach to another.
Crowds of onlookers swarmed around the parking area – some with children – while firefighters and traffic officials shouted at them to get out of the black smoke, a health hazard because of the chemicals it contained from the burning materials.
Cape Times