Firefighters battled a large blaze at South Africa’s parliament complex on Sunday, and officials feared the damage could be extensive.

       The fire, which started in the office area of the complex, spread to the National Assembly building, where Parliament sits, according to Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

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       “This is a very sad day for democracy for Parliament is the home of our democracy,” de Lille said, according to the Associated Press.

       Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, talking to Newzroom Afrika, urged against speculating on the cause of the fire until police could investigate and issue a report.

       The full extent of the damage is not known, but JP Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security, predicted that it “will be significant.” The AP reported that authorities feared parts of the historic structures in the complex could collapse in the heat.

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       “These are valuable buildings which we cannot afford to lose,” Smith told Newzroom Afrika. He added that “the fact that they’re calling for more resources to assist is not a good sign.”

       De Lille later told reporters that one of the oldest buildings in the complex — the old assembly chamber — was burning but that the National Assembly was safe, per Bloomberg.

       Smith said at a news conference in front of Parliament that firefighters were dealing with a partial roof collapse, according to CNN. “The roof of the building has collapsed, on the one side, and the fire has spread to the new assembly, according to the officers. They’ve detected large cracks in the wall, which is of concern.”

       Parliament is not in session because of the holidays, the BBC reported.

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       President Cyril Ramaphosa and many other South African politicians were in Cape Town for the funeral of Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Saturday. The service took place about a block from the Parliament precinct, the AP reported. Tutu died last Sunday at age 90.

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