An Egyptian firefighter tries to extinguish a fire in Cairo International Convention Centre (CICC) in Cairo's Nasr City district March 4, 2015 (Photo: reuters)
Initial investigations showed an electrical short circuit caused the huge fire that blazed through Cairo International Convention Centre (CICC) on Wednesday, said a spokesman for Egypt's interior ministry later in the day.
The metal plate responsible for the central air conditioner malfunctioned, spokesman Hani Abdel-Latif told Al-Ahram Arabic news website, stating that the fire spread from this part of the building and resulted in the blaze.
The fire lasted for four continuous hours, Abdel-Latif added.
The fire, which was in Cairo's main conference building in the eastern district of Nasr City, injured 40 people, some of whom suffered wounds and others from smoke inhalation, according to the health ministry.
The armed forces sent 25 fire trucks and six helicopters to transfer 30 tonnes of water to put out the fire. Huge plumes of smoke could be seen from a distance as a result of the blaze.
CICC is Egypt's largest convention center.
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