Fire at furniture factory in Egypt kills 25 people
Jul 28, 2015, 12:12 PM
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a furniture factory in al-Obour, east of Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Egypt's Health Ministry said a deadly fire occurred at the furniture factory east of Cairo. Egyptian state-run media said the factory had not obtained a government safety certification. (AP Photo/Mohammed Asad)
(AP Photo/Mohammed Asad)
CAIRO (AP) — A fire that erupted at a furniture factory east of Cairo on Tuesday killed 25 people and injured 22, Egypt’s Health Ministry said.
According to a security official, a preliminary investigation indicated that the blaze started when a gas cylinder exploded as it was transported in an elevator. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
Egyptian state-run media said the factory in the city of al-Obour had not obtained a government safety certification. Local media reported that firefighters had gained control of the blaze in the afternoon by using about 20 fire trucks.
Health Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said in a statement that the victims were taken to local hospitals, which declared a “state of emergency” to deal with the casualties, state media said.
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