Luxor4u

The number of injuries resulting from a fire that erupted in the crowded Cairo neighbourhood of al-Ataba late Sunday has risen to 74, the health ministry said.

The fire broke out late at night on Sunday in a six-storey hotel located in al-Ataba, a famous area in downtown Cairo known for its big market and crowdedness.




The hotel was evacuated once the fire erupted, but the fire spread to another building, which is adjacent to the hotel.

Most of the injuries resulted from asphyxiation, the Ministry of Health spokesman Khaled Mogahed added in the statement.

A state television correspondent said that the fire also reached eleven shops in the area.

Civil Protection forces brought the fire under control and have now started cooling down the site of the fire, according to Akhbar Masr, the website of Egyptian state television.

The prosecution is currently investigating the cause of the fire and whether there is a criminal motive.

The military also sent a number of its fire engines to assist with extinguishing the fire.

Definitely doesn't look good at all.

Must have been a nightmare for the fire services considering how narrow the road is there and how many shops etc.

Fire will spread quickly when buildings are crushed into small areas, there are no spaces to stop spread.

Amazing perspicacity

Bloody Hell, wheres my dictionary????

MT, you really DO have a dictionary ?

I agree with Carrie access is very difficult and the fire services should be applauded for containing the fire. Al-Ataba is a pretty scary place from a safety point of view, I've only ventured in a couple of times, but of course it's easy to see from the Flyover.

Major Thom wrote:Bloody Hell, wheres my dictionary????

I think Newcastle swallowed it.

Three dead, 91 injured in massive Cairo fire: Health ministry.

Three people died and 91 others were injured in a massive fire that broke out in the early morning hours on Monday at a popular street market in downtown Cairo, spokesperson to the ambulance authority Ahmed El-Ansary told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

El-Ansary said that 40 people were transferred to the nearest hospital while the remaining 51 were hospitalised at the scene of the incident.

The fire started in a six-storey hotel in Attaba – where streets are dotted with small, low-price shops and vendors selling a wide variety of goods – before spreading to adjacent buildings and burning for over eight hours.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/211439.aspx

Three dead - but the People's Egyptian Army saved dozens - possibly hundreds- maybe thousands from the fire. Their heroism hasn't been seen since Ranses II. In the words of the 'hatted one' this is the greatest ... in the last five thousand years'.

This is, in truth, really a terrorist attack and the Egyptian state has responded perfectly and avoided a much worse situation- the Minister gave a command that the fire should be extinguished and his command was followed to the letter- note the patriotic military sent a (single) fire brigade and they are experts at dousing 'situations'.

The report of burning and death or citizens is just all western carping, conspiracy and lies. designed to show Muslims in a bad context - this really never happened or, if it did, the Israeli's did it and if you don't agree with this you are an anti-Arab racist - get it! - Al Ahram is publishing the same tomorrow.

DJKeefy wrote:Three dead, 91 injured in massive Cairo fire: Health ministry.

Three people died and 91 others were injured in a massive fire that broke out in the early morning hours on Monday at a popular street market in downtown Cairo, spokesperson to the ambulance authority Ahmed El-Ansary told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

El-Ansary said that 40 people were transferred to the nearest hospital while the remaining 51 were hospitalised at the scene of the incident.

The fire started in a six-storey hotel in Attaba – where streets are dotted with small, low-price shops and vendors selling a wide variety of goods – before spreading to adjacent buildings and burning for over eight hours.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/211439.aspx

That was lucky.......the fire was actually in a backstreet hospital??