WATCH: Three burning carriages enter Cape Town train station

File picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA) Archives.

File picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA) Archives.

Published May 28, 2019

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* This story has been updated

Cape Town – A train pulling into Cape Town station's platform 6 at 7.40pm on Tuesday did so with several carriages already on fire. 

Initial reports indicate that three carriages towards the middle of the train have been damaged, Metrorail said. No one was injured in the incident.

"Fire services have managed to contain the fire at 20:40 after the electricity was switched off. Metrorail technical teams are on site to assess the damage and to commence cleaning up operations as soos as possible."

A full investigation will be launched into the incident, Metrorail said. 

The full extent of the damage as well as cost will be confirmed after closer inspection by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) loss adjusters, it added.

"At this stage platform 5 and 6 are closed until a full safety assessment can be made. Trains arriving and departing from these platforms will be reassigned to alternative platforms," Metrorail said.

Five other platforms – 12, 13 and 16 to 19 – remain closed at the station as a result of previous fire damage. 

Metrorail has issued an appeal to anyone with any information about the incident to contact Metrorail Protection Services or the SAPS.

Prasa suspended its head of security in the Western Cape, along with two security officers, in connection with the April fire at Cape Town train station.

Thobela Xoseni appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court after two trains were set alight on Easter Sunday.

Twelve carriages were affected but luckily no one was injured in the incident. The damage to the trains was estimated at R33 million.

After the mental state of the 30-year-old Xoseni, from Khayelitsha, was assessed by the district surgeon, he suggested he be referred for 30 days' psychiatric observation.

He is being kept in the hospital wing at Pollsmoor Prison in Tokai until his next court appearance on June 3.

More than 40 carriages have been burnt in arson attacks since 2017 and Mayor Dan Plato pointed out in April before Xoseni's arrest that no one has been charged as being responsible for any of the more than 10 incidents over the past two years.

Another Train fire🔥 at Cape Town Station 😲😲 @TheCapeArgus @IOL @HeadofficeUntu pic.twitter.com/55g06aRgjA

— Sisonke Mlamla (@SISONKE_MD) May 28, 2019

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