PHOTO: Nadia Moore
‘IT was just like watching a movie.
‘We got the phone call to say that the shop was on fire, jumped into the car and as we got to the site, I couldn’t believe it. I just went cold,’
That is how eShowe Sunrise Tearoom’s owner Maureen Smith described her experience when her business, commonly known as ‘The Shop’ went up in flames.
Just after 2am on Saturday, a fire ripped through the popular building, causing hundreds of thousands rands worth of damage.
‘The stock alone was worth over R100 000. We lost fridges, stoves, a pool table and much more,’ Smith said.
According to her, the blaze began before 1am and was brought under control by 4am.
It was a close call for the flat residents adjacent to the café as the smoke marks on the walls attest.
eShowe SAPS Cluster spokesperson, Captain Tienkie van Vuuren, says a case of arson has been opened.
Sunnydale’s Sunrise Tearoom has been doing business for over 70 years.
