The fire

On Sunday, 18 April 2021, a runaway fire destroyed the Jagger Reading Room of the UCT Libraries and caused damage in Upper Campus Residence, Fuller Hall residence, the HW Pearson building, as well as Cadboll House and La Grotta. The Jagger Reading Room housed the unique African Studies Collection, which included a treasured archive of books, films and government publications of which much became fodder for the flames. Thousands of students were evacuated from their residences and placed in temporary accommodation sites across the city. In response, the university executive suspended the academic programme for a week.