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A Coptic community temple near Cairo was the scene of a tragedy that left at least 41 dead and 45 injured as a result of an accident caused by an electrical failure. Among the deaths is the priest of the compound and an undetermined number of children who were in a nursery on the second floor. The national prosecutor’s office has already launched an investigation and the government will issue financial compensation to the victims.
On the morning of this Sunday, August 14, a fire broke out in the church of El Martyr Abu Sefein in Giza, a city adjacent to Cairo, while a mass of the Coptic community was taking place that brought together 5,000 faithful, leaving a sad balance of at least 41 dead and another 45 injured, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Health.
The fire covered one of the building’s exits, also causing a stampede at the exit.
Among the casualties is the priest of the temple, Abdel Masih, while most of the victims are children. The religious facilities that are located in the Al Munira area, in the Imbamba neighborhood -southeast of the Egyptian capital-, function as schools, social centers and have a nursery operating while masses are held.
Ambulances quickly rushed to the scene and the bodies and the wounded were transferred to the Aguza and Imbaba hospitals, the closest ones. The health portfolio also noted that two officers and three members of Civil Defense were injured.
The first investigations indicated that the origin of the tragedy was around 9 in the morning, local time, when an electrical fault in one of the air conditioners on the second floor caused an incessant emission of smoke, the main cause of death of the people.
Images that were taken by local television media show that the interior of the Church was completely burned from the inside; there are witnesses who affirm that the corpses of the deceased were charred.
In a statement on its official Facebook page, the Egyptian Prosecutor’s Office indicated that it will form “an extensive investigation team” to clarify the details and that “immediately” they mobilized to “initiate proceedings.”
The national authorities also reacted to the fire. President Abdelfatah al Sisi assured that he “closely follows” the updates of the consequences of the case.
“I have ordered all relevant state apparatuses and institutions to take the necessary measures, immediately deal with this incident and its effects, and provide all medical care to the injured,” he posted on social media.
To this end, the Minister of Solidarity, Neven al Kabaj, personally contacted those lacerated in the hospital and decided to provide financial compensation according to the seriousness of each situation.
The Ministry announced that it decided to give 50,000 Egyptian pounds (equivalent to 2,545 euros) to families who lost their father or guardian, 25,000 (1,272 euros) for each of the dead and 5,000 (254 euros) to each injured.
These types of accidents are not unusual in Egypt. At the end of 2020, a fire broke out in a hospital that treated patients with Covid-19 and ended with at least seven casualties. While in March 2021 something similar happened in a textile factory, with 20 deaths.
With EFE and Reuters
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