No casualties have been reported, and no damage was caused to the houses or schools around the church, the Sanabu and Dairut Diocese said in a statement.

The fire broke out at around 4am due to a gas leak from a butane cylinder used in preparing the sacrament, the diocese said.

The church, which was made of of wood, and all its annexes was entirely destroyed in the fire.

Civil protection units, ambulances, and security authorities were immediately dispatched to the scene and the fire was brought under control, the diocese said.

The diocese also praised the efforts made by the citizens and neighbors of the church to put out the fire.

Egypt saw 51,963 incidents of fire in 2021, down by 0.8 percent from the previous year, causing the death of 252 and the injury of 824 others, according to data released by the official statistical agency CAPMAS.