In pics: 51 people injured in huge fire near Al-Azhar district

CAIRO - 4 May 2019: A total of 51 people were injured due to a huge fire broke out in a basement of a four-storey building in Haret El Yahood, a bustling commercial alley in downtown Cairo’s Al Azhar district, on Friday.

The fire started in the storage area in the basement of the building and then swept through the fourth floor.


A huge fire that broke out in a basement of a four-storey building in Haret El Yahood, a bustling commercial alley in downtown Cairo’s Al Azhar district, on Friday- Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal

According to the Health Ministry’s spokesman, Khaled Megahed, five ambulances were dispatched to the fire site to carry the injured to hospitals. Twenty-five fire engines tried to put out the fire that lasted for 12 hours.


Two young men watching a huge fire that broke out in a basement of a four-storey building in Haret El Yahood, a bustling commercial alley in downtown Cairo’s Al Azhar district, on Friday- Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal


At the beginning of the fire, Egypt’s Ministry of health said that only 15 people were injured; all the injured suffered from smoke inhalation, Megahed said. Five of them were rushed to hospitals and 10 others were treated on spot, he added. However later, a total 51 injured people were announced.


Fire engines trying to put out a huge fire that broke out in a basement of a four-storey building in Haret El Yahood, a bustling commercial alley in downtown Cairo’s Al Azhar district, on Friday- Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal


Medics re-assured the status of the hospitalized cases that they are receiving needed treatment at Ahmed Maher and Sayed Galal hospitals.


Hundreds of people at the site of a huge fire that broke out in a basement of a four-storey building in Haret El Yahood, a bustling commercial alley in downtown Cairo’s Al Azhar district, on Friday- Egypt Today/Hussein Tallal


The Public Prosecution announced on Saturday that the financial causalities of the fire are estimated at LE 50 million (US $2.9 million).

Additional reporting by MENA