By Murray Williams
A raging fire has destroyed a massive warehouse full of furniture, causing damage estimated at more than R10 million.


The warehouse, in the Gants Centre alongside the N2 in the Strand, was completely gutted in the blaze. It belonged to Tafelberg Furnishers and neighbours Helderberg International Importers.

Huge steel roofing girders buckled in the searing heat of the blaze which began in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Tafelberg Furniture’s Gareth Baker said: “We were alerted at 1.30am, but by that time the whole place was ablaze. We don’t have a clue how it began.

“It was carrying a lot of stock, everything from furniture, appliances, beds, audio-visual stock. It is millions. All of that stock was due to be delivered to customers this week.

“We’ve had emergency meetings, and if customers could bear with us, we’ve set up an emergency line for them to call,” Baker said.

“We’ll be getting stock from other warehouses as fast as we can,” he added. “Everyone will get what they paid for, but there may be delays.

“The company’s taken quite a knock, but we’re fully insured,” Baker said.

Dave Kannemeyer, of Helderberg International Importers, said his company’s business records had also been burned, which “could cause the business a huge headache”.

A source on the scene said the building alone was worth more than R7.5m and the stock as much again.