Coco Nightclub in Loop Street caught alight. Picture: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers
A popular Cape Town nightclub will be closed until further notice after a fire engulfed the building on Friday.
The Coco Nightclub in Loop Street in the central business district (CBD) was caught alight after 9am.
The City of Cape Town’s spokesperson for Fire and Rescue Services, Jermain Carelse said fire crews were dispatched to the fire at 9.28am.
“Three fire engines, a water tanker, one aerial appliance, and a rescue vehicle were in attendance on the scene, where the roof of a three-story building was alight. The occupants of the building were evacuated,” Carelse said.
At the time, Loop Street between Wale and Hout Streets was closed.
Carelse confirmed the building was that of the popular party spot.
“The fire was extinguished at 1.51pm. It was a nightclub called the Coco Nightclub. The building has been deemed unsafe by the City of Cape Town building inspector. No civilian injuries were reported,” Carelse said.
The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.
This nightclub previously made headlines when its management implemented a hair policy of ‘no natural hair’.
According to the Weekend Argus, the dancers said a message was sent to a staff WhatsApp group last Saturday that read: “No one is allowed to come to work with natural hair. It’s either braids or wigs; unfortunately, it’s what management wants.”
The message was sent hours before the dancers were to begin their shift and had staff scrambling to swap their shifts so that they could switch their hairstyles to fit in at work.
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