South Africa Parliament chamber 'completely gutted' by fire

Firefighters are still working at South Africa’s national Parliament complex in Cape Town on Monday after a major blaze tore through the precinct a day earlier

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Fire crews have continued to work at South Africa's national Parliament complex in Cape Town on Monday after a major fire blazed through the buildings a day earlier, causing extensive damage.

The main chamber of the National Assembly was “completely gutted,” City of Cape Town safety and security official J.P. Smith said, and parts of the roof had collapsed.

"The entire Parliament complex is severely damaged, waterlogged and smoke damaged," Smith said.

Firefighters were still working on “hotspots” in the National Assembly building more than 24 hours after the fire started, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Jermaine Carelse said. But the fire crews had been scaled back from around 70 firefighters Sunday to 20 by Monday morning.