A fire disrupted a church service in a densely populated neighborhood in Cairo on Sunday, August 14, 2022. The fire had caused severe damage, leaving at least 41 dead and injuring 14, the country’s Coptic Church said.
The cause of the blaze in the church was not immediately known but an initial investigation pointed to an electrical short-circuit, according to a police statement.
Firefighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene to put out the flames while ambulances conveyed the casualties to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Egypt’s Christians account for some 10% of the nation’s 90 million people and have long complained of discrimination by the nation’s Muslim majority.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke by phone with the Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to express his condolences, the president’s office said.
He said he is closely following the developments of the tragic accident that had happened in the church.
The president says he would ensure that all the necessary measures about this accident will be dealt with immediately.
Source: Ghanafuo.com