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10 October 2025
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Zoo Lake bowls clubhouse gutted by fire, Johannesburg
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The Zoo Lake Bowls clubhouse in Johannesburg was gutted by a fire that broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, 1 October 2025. Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) said they responded to a fire incident call at the Zoo Lake clubhouse before 7am on Wednesday. Flames and plumes of smoke could be seen from a distance as emergency services rushed to the scene. Firefighters from Fire Ops SA and the City of Johannesburg Emergency Services were quickly on the scene.
Fire Ops Fire Chief Rudie Swanepoel said flames had already broken through the roof in two sections by the time firefighters arrived
“Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control and are currently busy with damping down operations to ensure there are no flare-ups,” Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said. “All firefighting operations at Zoo Lake have been completed. EMS Fire Inspectors are on-site to determine the cause of the incident.”
Khumalo said no injuries have been reported.
The building was almost entirely destroyed by the blaze. The fire was intensified by the clubhouse's timber structure and ongoing renovations. The fire wiped out over R1.25 million in renovations that had been underway since April, in preparation for a planned grand relaunch.
The exact cause is still unknown, and fire inspectors and the Parkview SAPS are investigating. Early indications suggest the fire may have started in the kitchen area. A security guard reported hearing several explosions during the fire.
Source: The Citizen and others
Fire Ops Fire Chief Rudie Swanepoel said flames had already broken through the roof in two sections by the time firefighters arrived
“Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control and are currently busy with damping down operations to ensure there are no flare-ups,” Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said. “All firefighting operations at Zoo Lake have been completed. EMS Fire Inspectors are on-site to determine the cause of the incident.”
Khumalo said no injuries have been reported.
The building was almost entirely destroyed by the blaze. The fire was intensified by the clubhouse's timber structure and ongoing renovations. The fire wiped out over R1.25 million in renovations that had been underway since April, in preparation for a planned grand relaunch.
The exact cause is still unknown, and fire inspectors and the Parkview SAPS are investigating. Early indications suggest the fire may have started in the kitchen area. A security guard reported hearing several explosions during the fire.
Source: The Citizen and others
