More fires erupt in central Cairo

A fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at an apartment block in the Al-Darb Al-Ahmar area in the historic Islamic quarter of Old Cairo, a day after another blaze burnt a number of shops at a historic market in the same neighborhood.

The blaze, the latest in a series of fires reported in the capital over the past three days, left two people injured, according to Ahmad Ansary, the head of the Egyptian ambulance authority.

Early on Wednesday, flames swept through at least four textiles shops and 10 small stalls at the historic market at Ghouriya area, in the same neighborhood, injuring two.

Antiquities officials said the fire did not harm historical buildings in the area, a major hub of Egypt’s Islamic history.

Late on Wednesday, Egypt’s interior ministry said firefighters put out flames that burnt a vehicle outside the court complex of the High Judicial Court in central Cairo.

The fire left no casualties, the ministry said in a statement reported by state news agency MENA.

Repeated fire incidents since Monday, including a major blaze that engulfed downtown Cairo’s busy commercial area of Attaba, have raised doubts among residents and vendors of foul play.

The Attaba fire, which firefighters struggled to extinguish for two days, killed three and injured over 90.

Initial losses are estimated at EGP 400 million (approx. $45 million) after the fire engulfed around 240 shops and dozens of stalls.

The government said it would give the families of those killed a compensation of EGP 10,000 (approx. $1,100) and EGP 2,000 (approx. $225) to the injured.

 source: Ahram Online