The blaze broke out during a Coptic mass near Egypt’s capital of Cairo
According to local media, at least 41 victims died from a fire that erupted in Coptic Abu Sifin’s church in Giza. At least 55 others were also injured in the blaze that broke out on Sunday during mass attended by around 5,000 people.
Police say that an initial investigation revealed that the cause of the fire was an electric short circuit within an air conditioner unit.
“People were gathering on the third and fourth floor, and we saw smoke coming from the second floor. People rushed to go down the stairs and started falling on top of each other,”Reuters was told by Yasir Murid, a religious leader. According to reports, the fire caused a stampede.
“Then we heard a bang and sparks and fire coming out of the window,”Munir was on the ground floor with his daughter, and managed to get out. Pictures and videos showing the effects of the fire reveal charred furniture scattered throughout the rooms that had been destroyed by the flames.
BREAKING NEWS: In an incident at Sunday services in Giza in Egypt, 35 Christians were killed and 45 others injured by a fire in the Church.
Today, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims. 🇪🇬🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/743y4mRfL4
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) August 14, 2022
The church’s windows were lit up by thick black smoke plumes. Photos taken while it was burning show this. Witnesses claimed that many victims were children. “The bodies are all charred, and many of them are children, who were in a nursery room in the church,”Reuters was told by Maher Murad that he had also lost his sister to the fire.
A fire broke out at Abu Sefein Church in Giza. At least 41 of the victims were killed, and 50 more were injured.
Two security sources said that the fire caused a stampede because most victims were children. pic.twitter.com/RtSD2bf5Gk
— TRT World (@trtworld) August 14, 2022
Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, expressed his “sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims.”He stated that “all state services”They were mobilized “ensure that all measures are taken.”
Since then, Egypt has been the scene of many more deadly fires. Fourteen Covid-19 patients were killed by fire in hospitals in 2020. In March 2021, more than 20 people died from a fire in a Cairo textile factory.
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