Africa-Press – South-Africa. The former Daily Dispatch office building in East London has been completely gutted after a fire broke out on Sunday morning.
Daily Dispatch editor Cheri-Ann James told News24 they were notified about the fire at around 09:30.
“The fire occurred at our former offices on Caxton Road in East London,” she said.
The fire has been extinguished.
East London Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said three fire engines and 12 firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
“We have managed to put out the fire in just under an hour. There are no casualties as the building is not being occupied. The owner came and opened for us but it was too late. We suspect that there could have been people who gained entry, leading to the fire, but at this stage the cause of the fire is still unknown,” Ngwenya added.
He said most of the damage was caused to the top area, where the fire started. The roof has collapsed and most of the top part has been destroyed.
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“As a staffer, it’s painful watching an office that holds memories over 100 years old burning into nothing but a shell (sic),” James said.
She said the fire occurred at a time when they were celebrating 150 years of existence.
Former editor, Bongani Siqoko, who spent 12 years working at the office, said watching the building burning broke his heart.
“We produced some of the best journalism in South Africa in that building and had fun while doing it. We won so many awards and this led to the Dispatch being known as [the] school of journalism in South Africa,” Siqoko said. “Some of the best journalists were produced and trained in that building.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The publication moved from the building in 2015.
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