A major fire broke out Monday inside Telecom Egypt’s headquarters in downtown Cairo, injuring at least 14 people and causing widespread disruptions to internet and mobile services across the country. The blaze erupted on the seventh floor of the 10-story building in the Ramses district, according to local officials.
Emergency Response
- Ambulances and firetrucks rushed to the scene as thick smoke billowed over the city.
- Firefighters battled the flames while security teams cordoned off the area.
- Two emergency responders suffered burns to their hands, eyewitnesses reported.
Impact on Services
- The fire originated in an equipment room, leading to a temporary outage in telecom and online payment services.
- The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said restoration was expected within hours.
- NetBlocks reported that Egypt’s internet connectivity dropped to 62% of normal levels due to the incident.
This fire occurred just a few kilometers from the site of a deadly 2019 train station blaze that killed 25 people and injured 45 more highlighting ongoing concerns about fire safety in key infrastructure facilities.
