gypt witnessed an outbreak of several fires across the country that led to a number of deaths and injuries after a massive blaze engulfed a popular street market in downtown Cairo's El-Attaba on Monday. In Giza, civil defence forces said that they were able to control another fire that started on Tuesday at palm tree plantations in El-Wahat, adding that an investigation team was formed to look into the reasons behind the fire. The chief of the civil defence forces, Magdy El-Shalakany, said in press statements that 12 fire engines were able to stop the spread of the fire to neighbouring areas. No injuries have been reported. A fire at a residential building in Giza's Owsim was also brought under control. In Cairo, civil defence forces also contained a small fire that spread following the massive El-Attaba fire in two buildings on El-Geish Street. According to the deputy of the Chamber of Commerce Ali Shokry, property losses caused by the El-Attaba blaze are estimated at EGP 400 million (around $45 million) after the fire engulfed 238 shops. Three people died and 91 were injured in the El-Attaba fire, which erupted on Monday in a six-storey hotel before spreading to adjacent buildings and burning for over eight hours. A fire in a storage area at the Qasr El-Einy hospital was also put down with no injuries or losses reported. Several other fires were reported in other governorates, including Sharqiya, Minya, Qalyubiya, Gharbiya and Sohag. In Sharqiya, the civil defence forces were able to control a fire in one of the branches of carpet retailer El-Nasagoon El-Sharqyoon in 10 Ramadan City. According to initial investigations, the fire was caused by a malfunctioning carpet ironing machine. The size of losses to the retailer is unclear. In Minya, one person was killed and another was injured in a fire at a residential building caused by an electric fault. Gharbiya's El-Mahalla City also witnessed the eruption of a fire on Monday afternoon at a restaurant, where three fire trucks contained the blaze before it could reach nearby shops. Another fire broke out at a bank in Basyoun City in the same governorate before it was ultimately contained. In Sohag, a blaze spread in a house on Tuesday in the town of Gerga, leading to the death of two children and injuring their mother and her two other children. According to initial investigations, the fire was caused by "sparks from a public bakery." In the same governorate, an electric fault led to a fire in three houses at a small town before it was controlled by firefighters. source: Ahram Online
