Destructive fire burns down 22 shops in Downtown Cairo Friday

Ahram Online , Friday 29 Jan 2021

Friday's early morning fire erupted at the wholesale Tawfiqia market

Tawfiqia Market
Firefighters distinguish fire in Tawfiqia Market (photo: Al-Ahram)

Civil protection units managed to control a destructive fire that broke out Friday morning in two appartements at the busy market of Tawfiqia. There were no injured people, the Cairo governorate office said in a statement.

The early morning fire, however, did cause damages to around 22 shops, the governorate statement added.

The civil protection department, ambulances and district officials as well as electricity and gas personnel moved to the scene “immediately” after the fire broke out, the governorate said.

The statement added that the civil protection department along with 13 fire engines and two water tenders controlled the fire.

Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal ordered the formation of an engineering committee to examine the two afflicted buildings, in tandem with efforts by the Public Prosecution and Criminal Investigation Department at the interior ministry to determine the cause of the fire.

The Tawfiqia market,  a wholesale market for a variety of goods - mainly car accessories - is located in the crowded Al-Azbakeya district.

Major accidental fires occurred last year, especially in Cairo and Alexandria, causing many deaths and injuries.

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