Vergelegen and all its facilities remain fully operational, welcoming both locals and visitors.
This according to CEO Wayne Coetzer following a devastating fire that broke out at the Somerset West wine estate’s popular restaurant last Tuesday (3 March).
Frank Forbay, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed it had received an emergency call at 15:46. “Six fire engines, two water tankers and 35 firefighters were dispatched, along with an Incident Management Team,” he said.
“On arrival crews found the thatched-roof kitchen engulfed in flames.”
All patrons and staff were safely evacuated by 15:23, with no injuries reported. The incident was declared closed at 01:42 on Wednesday morning (4 March).
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Coetzer praised the swift response. “Our safety officer alerted emergency services who responded immediately.”
The estate also deployed its own resources. “We have a fire team and immediately deployed our state-of-the-art fire truck.”
Safety protocols included “sprinklers, fire truck deployed immediately, fire hoses, safety officers and calls to outside providers,” while guests were protected as “the area was cordoned off immediately”.
While the restaurant was saved, the kitchen was completely destroyed, and the floors and ceilings having sustained water damage throughout.
“The fire [suspectedly] started between the kitchen slab and thatch; the initial scene was a small amount of smoke coming from under the thatch. Despite roof sprinklers activating immediately and our fire truck on scene within minutes, the fire escalated,” Coetzer said.
The cause is unknown. “Insurance investigators were at the estate on Thursday, but haven’t yet calculated the cost of the damage,” Coetzer said.
Recovery efforts are ongoing with a “structural engineer on site, staff not permitted in [the] building at this stage and all safety protocols are being adhered to.”
Regarding staff support, Coetzer emphasised: “Staff are my first priority and as such we will be creating a ‘Stables pop-up’ to keep all our staff employed and our locals happy.”
Affected staff have been offered counselling and relocated to other areas of the estate. Vergelegen has expressed heartfelt gratitude for community support. “We have always been deeply grateful for the support and loyalty of our regular visitors, many of whom feel like part of the Vergelegen family,” said Coetzer.
The estate also seeks practical support, which is “simply to continue visiting and enjoying all that Vergelegen has to offer”. “We’re unable to say at this stage when we’ll reopen, although it will be in some form soon. Suffice to say, I will have Somerset West’s favourite restaurant open soonest.”
Coetzer highlighted that Stables has become popular with locals and international visitors alike. “The year 2025 saw its best financial year since opening, attributed to its new look and feel, and a focus on service and delicious bistro food. Our locals have voted, making it number 1 on TripAdvisor in the area. We are grateful to all the locals who support us and have stood by us through this unfortunate event.”
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