Firefighters battle flames on the thatched roof of a historic building at Laborie Wine Estate in Paarl on Saturday, as strong winds fanned the blaze. The fire destroyed Giovanni’s Restaurant and part of the estate’s accommodation, while crews managed to protect key heritage structures. A fire that broke out atLaborie Wine Estateon Saturday destroyed Giovanni’s Restaurant and part of the estate’s accommodation facilities, dealing a heavy blow to one of Paarl’s most historically significant wine farms.
Laborie, established in 1691, is among the oldest wine estates in South Africa and is deeply tied to the early French Huguenot settlement of the Drakenstein Valley. Its historic werf and manor house form part of a cultural landscape spanning more than three centuries, making the protection of its heritage structures a critical concern as the fire unfolded. The blaze started shortly after midday.
Drakenstein Municipality confirmed that “two structures — the Cucina Di Giovanni restaurant and the first wing of the accommodation facilities — were destroyed earlier in the incident”. Eight Werf accommodation rooms were affected. All individuals on site were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.
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In an official statement, Laborie said it was “deeply saddened by the incident” but relieved that no one was harmed. “We are deeply saddened by the incident, but above all, relieved to confirm that no injuries were reported and that all individuals on site are safe,” the estate said. Firefighters faced challenging conditions as strong winds and flying embers caused the fire to spread rapidly across the property.
During the incident, embers ignited the thatched roofs of the historic manor house and an adjacent structure known as Die Stoep, raising fears that irreplaceable heritage buildings could be lost. A fire has destroyed the Laborie wine estate in Paarl on Saturday. Drakenstein Municipality later confirmed that the manor house and a second accommodation wing were “successfully protected and are now out of danger”.
The response was led by Drakenstein Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services, supported by Stellenbosch Municipality, the Cape Winelands District Municipality, the Fire Protection Association (FPA) and DFW Fire & Rescue NPC. FPA helicopters assisted ground crews with aerial water drops as teams battled the blaze for several hours. DFW Fire & Rescue said the focus of its operation shifted decisively to heritage preservation once the threat to the historic buildings became clear. “The main goal of the rescue operation for the DFW teams was to save the manor house and ‘Die Stoep’, which was successful,” the organisation said.
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