Flames tear through South African Parliament: Black smoke towers over Cape Town as firefighters use giant crane to tackle fire that started on third-floor

 A massive fire has completely destroyed South Africa's National Assembly collapsing the roof and gutting an entire floor in one building, as the blaze at the historic legislature continues to rage into the night. 

Police arrested a 51-year-old man in the building and an investigation has been opened into the fire. 

It started at around 3am on Sunday in the parliament complex's oldest wing, which was completed in 1884 and has wood-panelled rooms.

'The entire chamber where the members sit... has burned down,' parliamentary spokesman Moloto Mothapo said. 

He added that the blaze had still not been extinguished and two fires had apparently been sparked in two separate areas of the precinct.

No casualties had been reported but President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters at the scene a man had been held and that sprinkler systems had apparently failed.

Later on Sunday, police said a suspect in his 50s was due in court.

'A man has been arrested inside the parliament, he's still being interrogated. We have opened a criminal case. He has been arrested and will appear in court on Tuesday,' police spokeswoman Thandi Mbambo said.

The historic parliament building houses a collection of rare books and the original copy of the former Afrikaans national anthem Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (The Voice of South Africa), which was already damaged.

'The roof of the Old Assembly building has collapsed and is gone,' Jean-Pierre Smith, Cape Town's mayoral committee member for safety and security, told reporters earlier.

'The entire building has suffered extensively smoke and water damage,' Smith said, adding 'the fire has not been contained'.

After ravaging the older wing of the building, the flames spread to newer parts of the complex which are currently in use.

'Firefighters are currently trying to control the fire in the New Wing, where the fire has affected the National Assembly Chamber,' Mothapo told an online news conference earlier in the day.

The imposing red and white building wsas still shrouded in a thick cloud of black at midday.

Firefighters spray water at South Africa's parliament building in Cape Town after a major fire has broke out earlier this morning

Firefighters spray water at South Africa's parliament building in Cape Town after a major fire has broke out earlier this morning 

Black smoke and flames were seen rising into the sky after the blaze, which started in the early hours of the morning in the third floor offices, tore through the building

Black smoke and flames were seen rising into the sky after the blaze, which started in the early hours of the morning in the third floor offices, tore through the building

Firefighters use a crane to get to the roof of the National Assembly building in the South African Parliamentary complex

Firefighters use a crane to get to the roof of the National Assembly building in the South African Parliamentary complex 

A team of firefighters, who were first to arrive at the scene, battled the flames for several hours before being forced to retreat and call for reinforcements.

Around 70 firefighters were later deployed, some using a crane to spray water on the blaze.

Former Cape Town mayor and current minister Patricia de Lille warned it would still be several hours before the fire was brought under control.

Inside the rooms, fine showers of grey ash fell from the ceiling to the floor, which was already littered with debris.

Emergency services said they feared the fire could spread swiftly through the old rooms, which are decorated with wood, thick carpets and curtains.

Images broadcast on television had earlier shown giant flames leaping from the roof.

The area around the fire in the upmarket neighbourhood was quickly cordoned off.

The cordon stretched to a square where flowers were still displayed in front of the nearby St. George's Cathedral, where anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu's funeral took place on Saturday.

After a simple, no-frills mass, with a cheap coffin - according to the famously modest Tutu's instructions - his ashes were interred in the cathedral on Sunday.

Flames rip through the building as emergency crews spray water on the fire and try to tackle the blaze today

Flames rip through the building as emergency crews spray water on the fire and try to tackle the blaze today

Emergency crews at the scene at the South African Parliament building in Cape Town after a fire broke out

Emergency crews at the scene at the South African Parliament building in Cape Town after a fire broke outPlumes of smoke rose into the air after a major fire broke out at South Africa's Houses of Parliament in Cape Town today. 

Firefighters rushed to the scene as large flames tore through the building and a huge column of smoke was seen rising into the sky at around 5.30am local time.

The blaze started on the third floor of an old building that houses offices and spread to the National Assembly building, where South Africa's Parliament now sits, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille said. 

No one has been injured and the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed by police.  

Ms De Lille told local media: 'The fire is currently in the National Assembly chambers. This is a very sad day for democracy for Parliament is the home of our democracy.'  

A spokesperson for the city's emergency services said: 'The roof has caught fire and the National Assembly building is also on fire.

'The fire is not under control and cracks in the walls of the building have been reported.' Today, images showed a mass of flames ripping through what appeared to be the roof of the building.

A giant crane was also used by firefighters to spray water over the burning building as they tackled the ferocious blaze. 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was briefed on the fire, Ms De Lille said, but it was too early to speculate on a cause.

Today parliament speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula cautioned against speculation that it was a deliberate attack.

'Until such a time that a report has been furnished that there was arson, we have to be careful not to make suggestions that there was an attack,' she said.  

A cordon which stretches to St. George's Cathedral, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu's funeral took place on Saturday, is now in place in the region.

The Houses of Parliament in Cape Town consist of three sections, including the original and oldest building that was completed in 1884.

The newer additions  - constructed in the 1920s and 1980s - house the National AssemblyStreets appear empty as the fire continues to rip through the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town today

Streets appear empty as the fire continues to rip through the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town today

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa briefs reporters after visiting South Africa's Parliament following a large fire in Cape Town

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa briefs reporters after visiting South Africa's Parliament following a large fire in Cape Town

Firefighters spray water on the flames erupting from a building at South Africa's Parliament in Cape Town

Firefighters spray water on the flames erupting from a building at South Africa's Parliament in Cape Town

Plumes of smoke rise into the air after a fire began to tear through parliament building in South Africa's Cape Town this morning

Plumes of smoke rise into the air after a fire began to tear through parliament building in South Africa's Cape Town this morning

Firefighters and emergency vehicles as the scene after the blaze started in the early hours of the morning in the third floor offices before spreading to the National Assembly chamber

Firefighters and emergency vehicles as the scene after the blaze started in the early hours of the morning in the third floor offices before spreading to the National Assembly chamber

A firefighter walks past as crews try to stop the spread of the fire which began in the early hours of today

A firefighter walks past as crews try to stop the spread of the fire which began in the early hours of today

Smoke rising into the air from the roof of the building as firefighter try to tackle the blaze which began this morning

Smoke rising into the air from the roof of the building as firefighter try to tackle the blaze which began this morning

A column of black smoke rises into the air as the blaze rips through the Houses of Parliament in South Africa

A column of black smoke rises into the air as the blaze rips through the Houses of Parliament in South AfricaIn April last year, a fire ravaged part of The University of Cape Town's library housing a unique collection of African archives.

The scenes come just a day after Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died at the end of last week aged 90, was laid to rest following a touching ceremony at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town.

A hero of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, the state funeral for the Nobel Peace Prize winner was held at the cathedral where for years he preached against racial injustice. 

Delivering the main eulogy, President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu as 'our moral compass and national conscience' as South Africa bade farewell at a state funeral to a hero of the struggle against apartheid. 

Mr Ramaphosa accorded Tutu a special category funeral, usually designated for presidents and very important people.

He also handed South Africa's multicoloured flag to Tutu's widow, Leah - a reminder of her husband's description of the post-apartheid country as the 'Rainbow Nation'.

Smoke rises into the air from a building at the South African Parliament precinct in Cape Town this morning

Smoke rises into the air from a building at the South African Parliament precinct in Cape Town this morning

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