A massive fire broke out Saturday evening at a warehouse within the Bulaq Abul-Ela area of downtown Cairo, near al-Tarjuman Market. The flames spread to a neighboring five-story residential building, causing chaos and panic.
Civil Defense forces spent approximately six hours working to control and completely extinguish the fire.
Panic Fills The Streets
Security sources said that the emergency operations room received a report at approximately 3:00 pm that a fire had broken out inside a scrap metal warehouse located on the ground floor of a building.
Dense smoke was seen rising rapidly into the sky of the area, which was crowded with residents and merchants. Eyewitnesses indicated that the fire started small, before rapidly expanding due to the large amount of flammable material in the area.
Gas Cylinder Explosion
Minutes after the fire broke out, a powerful explosion then occurred, likely caused by a gas cylinder inside the warehouse. Flames spread to the upper floors of the building and to a neighboring building, completely destroying it.
Panicked residents fled to the surrounding streets.
A resident of the area told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the explosion was so loud that windows in nearby buildings shook.
He added, “At first, we thought it was an earthquake, then we saw smoke rising rapidly.”
Other residents confirmed that some families had left their homes in a hurry, while others remained in the streets for hours, anxiously monitoring efforts to control the fire.
Civil Defense Forces dispatched 10 fire engines, supported by hydraulic ladders and strategic water tanks, in an attempt to contain the fire and halt its spread.
A large-scale security cordon was also set up to secure the area and keep passersby away. Within minutes, authorities cut off electricity and gas supplies to the area to minimize the risks posed by firefighting efforts.
In parallel, the Ambulance Authority dispatched four ambulances to the area. According to a preliminary report, five people were treated at the scene, including suffocation and fainting.
No deaths were reported among the residents.
Red Crescent Provides Support
Egyptian Red Crescent personnel also arrived at the site and provided first aid to several Civil Defense personnel who sustained minor injuries or smoke inhalation. Teams also provided psychological support to residents evacuated from their homes.
Police forces completely evacuated four nearby residential buildings, fearing the flames could spread. Some families were escorted to safe areas away from the site, while residents were placed under field medical and psychological supervision.
Civil Defense Forces Contains Fire
Extinguishing operations lasted for six long hours due to the nature of the flammable materials and the difficulty of reaching some of the fire’s hotspots within the warehouse and damaged properties. Civil Defense officers stated that the fire was rekindling in some locations due to the heat of the plastic materials, necessitating the provision of additional water tanks to the site.
At midnight, Civil Defense forces announced full control of the fire and commenced cooling operations to ensure it did not recur. Authorities began gradually restoring power to some surrounding areas, while the perimeter of the incident remained closed until the inspection and removal of debris were finalized.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
