Egypt church fire

A 17-year-old has been arrested and is due in court for allegedly setting fire to a shop in Wolmaransstad, North West. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay

Dozens, including children, KILLED in Egyptian church fire

Egypt’s interior ministry says the fire was caused by an electrical failure in an air conditioning unit on the church’s second floor

Egypt church fire

A 17-year-old has been arrested and is due in court for allegedly setting fire to a shop in Wolmaransstad, North West. Photo: Stock Image / Pixabay

At least 41 people have been confirmed dead after a fire broke out at a church in Giza’s Imbaba neighborhood in greater Cairo on Sunday, officials in Egypt have said.

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According to the Health Ministry, at least 14 people were injured in the blaze which occurred at the Abu Sifin Coptic church.

Several media reports say ambulances transferred at least 55 injured people to local hospitals. At least two officers and three civil protection service members were injured responding to the fire.

The blaze, which is said to have started at approximately 09:00, was caused by an electrical failure in an air conditioning unit on the church’s second floor. According to the Interior Ministry, most of the deaths and injuries were caused by smoke inside church classrooms after the electric failure.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has responded to the incident by expressing his condolences to the victims of the fire at the church.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims who moved to the side of their Lord in one of the houses of worship,” El Sisi said on Twitter.