The Zoo Lake Bowls Club, a historic building in Johannesburg’s parkland, went up in flames on October 1 in a fire that left the building in ruins and its owner reeling from the loss.

Owner Divian Cooper, who had been renting the property from the City of Johannesburg, said the timing could not have been worse.

Since April, he had spent more than R1.25m upgrading the venue, with plans to reach a R2m renovation budget before a relaunch later this year.

Read more: Watch: Zoo Lake Bowls building engulfed in flames – Fire Ops crew battle blaze

Bookings were already confirmed, new staff were about to start, and corporate clients were lined up. “The unfortunate part is that I spent more than a million rand in renovations,” he said.

“We had a lot of people relying on us, and this has just stopped everything in its tracks.”

The blaze broke out just after 6:00 and was first noticed by a Community Active Protection (CAP) guard during a shift change.

A homeless man also raised the alarm, and within minutes, explosions could be heard as the fire spread through the wooden structure. The guard recalled that at first it seemed calm, but shortly after an explosion, ‘the fire started everywhere.’

Fire Ops SA received the call at 06:33 and arrived on scene six minutes later to find flames ripping through the roof on both sides of the building. “By the time we got here, it was already well alight,” said Fire Ops chief Rudi Swanepoel.

“The age and construction of the building made it extremely difficult to fight from the inside, and that contributed to how quickly the fire spread.” Drones with thermal cameras were used to measure the heat inside the structure so that commanders could position crews more safely.

About 25 Fire Ops firefighters fought the blaze with two fire engines and a water tanker, while the City of Johannesburg reportedly sent one vehicle.

For Cooper, the fire brought an abrupt end to a project he had been steadily piecing together.

Renovations were already 65% complete, with the men’s and women’s toilets refurbished, a secondary bar and kitchen tiled, new gates installed, and fresh coats of varnish and paint applied.

Work on the parking area was due to begin this week. “We were actually planning a relaunch,” he said. “That looks like it is now not going to be a reality.”

Authorities have since confirmed that the cause of the fire is still unknown. Parkview SAPS has opened an investigation.

Parkview CPF chairperson Bianca Albertini urged the public to avoid speculation. “The circumstances remain unclear at this stage.

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We appeal to people not to circulate unverified information and to allow the investigation to take its course,” she said.

Ward councillor Tim Truluck described the blaze as a loss for the wider community.

“The bowls club has fond memories for many generations who have frequented this comfortable and unpretentious venue. Let us hope it can rise again so that younger generations can build memories of their own,” he said.

The blaze has wiped out months of work and investment, leaving the club in ruins and its future uncertain. The impact is felt not only by the owner but also by staff, members and the wider community who have long relied on the venue.

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