Fire caused by electrical fault kills dozens at Coptic church in Egypt

MENA

Published: 2022-08-14 14:52

Last Updated: 2024-03-18 09:03


Fire caused by electrical fault kills dozens at Coptic church in Egypt
Fire caused by electrical fault kills dozens at Coptic church in Egypt

Sunday, at least 41 people were killed and 55 injured in a fire that broke out due to an electrical fault in the Abu Sefein Church in Imbaba, Egypt, reported Reuters.

The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population said in a statement that the minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, ordered for all emergency and medical services to be provided to the victims. A total of 30 ambulances were dispatched to the site of the fire accident.

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior revealed that the cause of the fire that broke out on Sunday in Abu Sefein Church in the Imbaba area, in Giza Governorate, was caused by an electrical fault.

The Ministry of Interior said on its Facebook page that an examination of the forensic evidence showed that the fire broke out after an electrical fault occurred in an air-conditioning unit on the second floor of the church building, which includes a number of classrooms. The fire led to smoke emission, which was the main cause of injuries and deaths.

The ministry’s statement added that two officers were injured and three members of the civil defense forces.

For his part, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke by phone with the Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to offer his condolences.

The President also wrote on Twitter that he is closely following up on the developments of the tragic accident in the church.

He added that he directed all relevant state agencies and institutions to immediately take all necessary measures to deal with this incident.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims,” he said.