For decades, the Bank of Lisbon building stood tall as one of the landmarks of the inner city, housing thousands of government employees. But in September last year, its legacy came crashing down when a raging fire erupted inside the 31-storey structure which hosted three provincial government departments.
Three firefighters, Simphiwe Moropane, Mduduzi Ndlovu and Khathutshelo Muedi perished as they and their colleagues attempted to douse the towering flames for three consecutive days. Authorities discovered that the building had sustained significant damage during the fire, and that it would be hazardous to repair it.
“After an assessment by structural engineers, it was discovered that the fire caused severe damage to the slabs of the burnt floors and posed a threat of collapsing if left,” Bongiwe Gambu, Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Property Management spokesperson, said this week.