A huge blaze swept through a building in the historic commercial district of Mosky in central Cairo late on Monday.

The health ministry said one person was injured in the fire, which broke out at a four-storey mall in the area's famous Jewish Alley.

Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said five firefighting vehicles were sent to the scene to put out the blaze.

Online footage showed large sheets of flames rising into the sky and post-fire photos showed charred shops that had been gutted by fire.

Eyewitnesses told Al-Ahram Arabic news website that the fire started in a first-floor plastic hardware shop due to a short circuit when electricity returned following a power cut.

The fire burned for almost four hours before it was eventually contained, they added.

Shop owners said losses are estimated at millions of pounds.