The South African National Defense Force says that investigations will continue this morning to determine what could have caused the fire at the Waterkloof air force base in Pretoria. Officials suspect that a pipe burst at the bulk fuel is within the base could be where the fire has originated. however, foul play has not been ruled out at this stage, senior officials said that the base is well secured.

SABC News reporter Molemo Waone Mothoa reported this morning that the fire started at around 7 evenings. However, firefighters were dispatched to the place, and they were able to extinguish the fire within an hour after they were alerted. It is said that the brigadier general spoke to the SABC that was no reason to suspect any foul play at the moment since the place of the incident is well protected 24 hours under surveillance. 

The brigadier general believes with such higher security there’s no way any other person could have started the fire, except the ones that are authorised or permitted to run the place internally can go in without being detected. The final report of the investigation is expected to be released later today or even tomorrow if delays may occur.

This has to be a very sensitive case on the safety of South African people as a military sector building catches huge fire like that, just after the case of the burning of the Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town. In comparison to the previous fire break out a suspect, who is not a member of the parliamentary staff, was scheduled to appear in court to face charges of arson, housebreaking, and theft, according to police but now these two cases don’t show any connection.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours.