At least 41 dead, 14 injured in Cairo church fire

Cairo, Aug 14 (EFE).- At least 41 people died and 14 others were injured on Sunday in a fire at a Cairo church.

“Health ministry sources said that the dead reached 41 so far, while the injured are 14 people,” the Coptic Church said on Facebook.

“A large fire took place in The Martyr Abu Sefein church in the Imbaba area during mass this morning,” the ecclesiastical institution said.

The health ministry has only reported that “55 cases” transferred to hospitals, without providing a death toll.

According to the preliminary investigations, the fire was caused by an electrical failure in an air conditioning unit on the second floor of the church building, which includes several classrooms, security sources told Efe.

Among the injured are two officers and three civil defense members, the sources added.

Egypt’s president Abdelfatah el-Sisi offered his condolences to the families of the “innocent” victims.

“I am closely following the developments of the tragic incident in the church (…) and have ordered all relevant state apparatuses and institutions to take all necessary measures, and immediately deal with this incident and its effects, and provide all medical care for the wounded,” he wrote on Facebook. EFE

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