Durban – Parts of the historic Grey Street Mosque – known as Jumu‘ah Masjid – has gone up in flames.
Firefighters and other emergency workers were at the scene battling the blaze on Monday while crowds of curious onlookers gathered along Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street.
Thick black plumes of smoke thickened the Durban city centre skyline and sirens could be heard from far away as emergency services battled the blaze at the 139-year-old mosque.
The fire started shortly before midday. It was initially reported a fire had started in one of the flats.
Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for Redline Response Paramedics said the building was on fire by the time firefighters around.
“Paramedics together with Durban fire department are in attendance while firefighters are battling the blaze. Paramedics are at the scene dealing with reports that there are several patients with smoke inhalation. The road has been closed and traffic has been severely affected and we urge all motorists to avoid this area at all costs.
It was unclear how the fire started and if it had indeed spread from a nearby flat to the mosque.
The Juma Mosque of Durban know or Jumu‘ah Masjid, meaning "Mosque of The Congregation", also known as the Grey Street Mosque, is the spiritual centre for thousands of Durban Muslims.
According to a Wikipedia entry on the mosque, in August 1881, a site was bought by Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri and Hajee Mohamed in Grey Street (now known as Dr. Yusuf Dadoo Street) from K. Munsamy for £115 for the construction of a mosque.
A tiny brick and mortar structure which stood on the site was converted into the mosque.
In February 1884 Aboobaker's estate bought land next to the mosque to enable its further expansion.
In 1889 Hajee Mahomed Dada, in his capacity as the only surviving trustee of the mosque purchased more adjoining land due to the swift rise in the number of worshippers.
The first of the two minarets on the mosque was constructed in 1904.
At the same time, two shops were built alongside the mosque providing an income for its maintenance. A second minaret was added to the mosque in 1905 and several rooms, toilets and shower facilities were also added at the rear of the mosque for travellers to use.
Further extensions and alterations were made to the mosque in 1943. Today the mosque building is a large plastered structure which features a mixture of various styles. A bridge extends from the neighbouring girls' school to the roof of the mosque. The flat roof, which is used for prayer during festivals is used as a playground during school days as the school is not equipped with one. The style of the mosque is essentially geometrical. The windows and inter-leading doors and the arched doorways all stress this geometrical design. Its gilt-domed minarets protrude above the bustling commercial area, but inside the marbled worship hall is peaceful and boasts a simple elegance. The mosque until the late 1970s enjoyed the status of being the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere.
Daily News