CAIRO: A fire that broke out inside the old Ministry of Religious Endowments building in the downtown area of Cairo was brought under control by seven fire engines from the General Administration of Civil Protection.
Mohammed Mokhtar Gomaa, the Egyptian minister of religious endowments, inspected the firefighting process two hours after the blaze started, and thanked the civil protection team for its dedication to work, swift action, and control of the fire. No injuries were reported.
The minister referred the incident’s investigation to the Public Prosecution and the Administrative Prosecution.
The building was empty as the ministry had moved to its new building in the New Administrative Capital on July 1.
The minister has instructed those concerned, based on the recommendations of the Council of Ministers, to continue maintenance contracts for the old building.
Abdullah Hassan Abdel-Qawi, assistant minister of endowments for administrative affairs, confirmed that no one was injured in the incident and that damage to the building was being assessed by specialized committees.
The ministry has stressed that it will wait for reports from the security services regarding the causes of the fire before deciding on its next course of action.
A source told Arab News: “Immediately after the outbreak of the fire was reported, four ambulances were dispatched to the accident site in anticipation of the presence of injured people, but no casualties were reported. There were no casualties inside the building due to it being vacant.”
The incident emphasizes the importance of safety measures in institutional buildings, especially those that may not be currently occupied.
It also highlights the coordinated efforts of various authorities when responding to emergencies and ensuring the well-being of the community.