Update #2, 10.40pm: Cape Town’s Metrorail service again took to Twitter suggesting that it cannot at present confirm how the train fire will affect Tuesday’s commute.
“Too early to predict service changes. MorningPeak service advisory at 04:30 tomorrow morning,” it wrote.
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Too early to predict service changes. MorningPeak service advisory at 04:30 tomorrow morning
— Metrorail W/Cape (@CapeTownTrains) June 12, 2017
Update #1, 10pm: Cape Town’s Metrorail service has now issued an update via the Metrorail Western Cape Twitter account.
“Problems with Metrorail electrical power feeds were responsible for major delays experienced this afternoon,” reads the statement.
“Teams if technicians are currently working across the network trying to restore power as soon as possible.
“Hundreds of irate customers convered [sic] at Cape Town Station and some shops were damaged and looted. SAPS and Protection services are on site for crowd control,” the statement continues.
The statement also notes that users can use their weekly or monthly tickets to access Golden Arrow bus services.
Additionally, the trains’ power issue was remedied a few minutes prior to 9pm Monday evening.
Read the full release below.
Note media statement – Problematic electrical feeds halt trains pic.twitter.com/tPF3N2hGBg
— Metrorail W/Cape (@CapeTownTrains) June 12, 2017
Original article: Cape Town Railway Station has has been shuttered tonight due to riots and a train fire, numerous sources on Twitter report.
The railway station, which serves as a central hub for the Cape Town Metrorail system in the Western Cape, has today been subject to lengthy delays.
At around 4.40pm Monday afternoon, the official Metrorail Western Cape Twitter account announced that delays beyond 60 minutes on all lines would be experienced.
#ServiceAdvisory Note delays 60+ minutes pic.twitter.com/ygTPvpAZ3T
— Metrorail W/Cape (@CapeTownTrains) June 12, 2017
Upon arriving at the station at around 5pm, this editor also noticed that timing boards were displaying delays in excess of two hours. Additionally, few trains were leaving Cape Town Station.
Cape Town this evening experienced train delays in excess of 60 minutes on all lines
The situation then turned violent.
Ground Up’s Ashraf Hendricks tweeted around 8pm scenes of the station’s interior, still packed with commuters. Police vehicles are also visible.
#CTTrainStation – Now at Cape Town Train station. commuters are fed up with delays. Some destruction to property. @GroundUp_News pic.twitter.com/TyGEE5fX0Y
— Ashraf Hendricks (@AshrafRSA) June 12, 2017
Stores at the station have reportedly been looted.
#CTTrainStation Vodacom & MTN looted @GroundUp_News pic.twitter.com/Z91Rnxcve8
— Ashraf Hendricks (@AshrafRSA) June 12, 2017
A train has also been set alight.
#CTTrainStation train set alight @GroundUp_News pic.twitter.com/PpVQbapBJE
— Ashraf Hendricks (@AshrafRSA) June 12, 2017
Thick, black smoke is erupting from the station.
#CapeTown station on fire
pic.twitter.com/SJEEXSXKLM — Rhiedwaan (@rhiedwaan) June 12, 2017
They’re burning it down pic.twitter.com/LN0ksEie4Y
— Almost Blue (@Just_ONeil) June 12, 2017
A video from outside the station, recorded by Ludidi Velani, suggests that “commuters say they won’t stop until PRASA provides transportation for them”.
The commuters say they won’t stop until PRASA provides transportation for them #CTTrainstation pic.twitter.com/TBnEAVSONL
— Veve (@LudidiVelani) June 12, 2017
The hashtag #CTTrainstation also began trending just before 10pm Monday evening. It’s the hashtag’s first appearance on the social network since 2012. Users are also using the strings “Cape Town Railway Station” and “Cape Town Station” on Twitter.
There have been no subsequent tweets from the Metrorail Western Cape since around 7pm Monday evening.
This is a developing story…
Feature image: Ben Crouch via Flickr (CC 2.0 BY, resized)
