Egypt Orthodox church fire caused by 'short circuit in power generator': prosecution
Egypt Orthodox church fire caused by 'short circuit in power generator': prosecution
A fire in a Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt’s Giza province during Sunday mass which claimed the lives of at least 41 people was caused by a short circuit in a power generator, according to the prosecutor-general.
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Preliminary findings indicated the fire was caused by a short circuit. [Getty]
The major Ìýat Abi Sefein Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt's Giza provinceÌýwest of the capital CairoÌýduring Sunday massÌýwas caused by "a short circuit in a power generator", the said in a statement released to the press.
The final count of victims indicated that the fire killed 41 dead, including over a dozen children and a priest.Ìý16 others were injured, including four firefighters, mainly fromÌýAsphyxiation, the statement read on Monday.
Prosecutor-general Hamada El-Sawy, accompanied by the coroner,Ìý the bodies right after the fire was put out and concluded that all died from Asphyxiation.
A total of 14 victims were questioned after receiving treatment at nearby hospitals, while crime scene investigators were assigned to define the reasons behind the incident and how it occurred. Foul play has been ruled out so far.
Last night, funeral services were held amid a heavy media presence at two churches in Giza.
Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, prime minister Mostafa Madbouli, Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb and other senior officials paid their respects to the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II.
Social media users and local media outlets declared sympathyÌýwith the victims' families, sharing the photo of a five-year-old triplet who lost their lives in the fire and a Muslim man named Mohamed who was injured while savingÌýthe lives of five children.
Several Arab states expressed their condolences, including the foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq, theÌýspokesmanÌýto theÌýJordanian ministryÌýofÌýforeignÌýaffairs and expatriates, HaithamÌýAbul, and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
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