Huge Fire Erupts at Police Facility in Ismailia, Egypt: at Least 25 Injured

Huge Fire Erupts at Police Facility in Ismailia, Egypt, Injuring 25 People

CAIRO, Oct 2 (Reuters) – A massive fire broke out at a police facility in the city of Ismailia, situated along the Egyptian Suez Canal, early on Monday. The blaze resulted in at least 25 people sustaining injuries before firefighters were able to contain it after several hours, according to emergency services and media reports.

Videos circulating on social media showed the city’s security directorate completely engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the blaze.

Eyewitnesses told Reuters that firefighters initially faced difficulties in tackling the fire. However, after more than three hours, state television announced that the situation had been brought under control.

In a preliminary count of casualties, the Egyptian Ambulance Authority reported that at least 25 individuals were injured in the incident. Furthermore, civil defense sources mentioned that parts of the building had collapsed due to the intense fire.

Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik stated that a committee of advisers would be established to investigate the causes of the fire and assess the building’s construction safety. The minister emphasized the need to restore the facility’s efficiency as quickly as possible, according to a statement from his ministry.

This incident marks the latest major fire to hit Egypt, following a devastating church blaze in August 2022 that claimed the lives of at least 41 people.

Reporting by Hatem Maher, Yusri Mohamed, and Tala Ramadan; editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christian Schmollinger, and Deborah Kyvrikosaios.