Dozens dead after fire rips through church in Cairo

14 August 2022, 13:44

Egypt Fire
Egypt Fire. Picture: PA

The Coptic Church said the blaze broke out while a service was under way on Sunday morning.

A fire has ripped through a church in a densely populated neighbourhood of Cairo, leaving at least 41 dead and injuring 14, a spokesperson for Egypt’s Coptic Church said.

The cause of the blaze in the Abu Sefein church in the working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba was not immediately known.

An initial investigation pointed to an electrical short-circuit, according to a police statement.

The Coptic Church said the fire broke out while a service was under way on Sunday morning.

Egypt Fire
People gather at the site of the fire (Mohamed Salah/AP)

Fifteen firefighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene to put out the flames while ambulances ferried the casualties to nearby hospitals.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke by phone with the Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to offer his condolences, the president’s office said.

“I am closely following the developments of the tragic accident,” Mr El-Sissi wrote on Facebook. “I directed all concerned state agencies and institutions to take all necessary measures, and immediately to deal with this accident and its effects.”

The Health Ministry said ambulances transferred at least 55 injured people to local hospitals.

The Interior Ministry said it received a report of the fire at 9am local time, and they found the blaze broke out in an air conditioner in the building’s second storey.

The ministry, which oversees police and firefighters, blamed an electrical short-circuit for the fire, which produced huge amounts of smoke.

Egypt Fire
The blaze broke out in the densely populated neighbourhood of Imbaba (Mohamed Salah/AP)

The country’s chief prosecutor, Hamada el-Sawy, ordered an investigation and a team of prosecutors were dispatched to the church.

Egypt’s Christians account for some 10% of the nation’s 90 million people and have long complained of discrimination by the nation’s Muslim majority.

Sunday’s blaze was one of the worst fire tragedies in recent years in a country where safety standards and fire regulations are poorly enforced.

In March last year, a fire at a garment factory near Cairo killed at least 20 people and injured 24 more.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Russia bombed Ukrainian infrastructure overnight

Russia launches 'massive attack' on Ukraine's power supplies, with 'energy security under growing threat'

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus falls from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

American Easter egg

White House’s annual Easter egg roll to be attended by 40,000 people

Barbers in Paris

Proposal to ban discrimination over a person’s hair passes first legal hurdle

Mahmoud Abbas

Palestinian Authority names new government following pressure to reform

Arvind Kejriwal

Opposition leader Kejriwal locked up for further four days, court rules

Resident clears rubble from home

Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks