22 injured in fire at Cairo International Conference Center

Twenty two individuals were reportedly injured in a fire which spread through the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) in the capital’s eastern district of Nasr City on Wednesday. As of yet, no deaths have been reported.

Visible from several kilometers away, large plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from this conference center on Wednesday afternoon, as dozens of fire-trucks and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Interior Ministry Spokesperson Brigadier General Hany Abdel Latif issued press statements claiming that the fire had been extinguished. Material damage is still being assessed, and casualties are currently receiving medical attention.

Ministry of Health Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar told state-owned TV channels that 22 individuals required medical attention as a result of this fire. Seven of these casualties were rushed to hospital, while 15 others reportedly received treatment on the spot.

The fire is reported to have started in – or above – the CICC’s central upper hall, and is reported go have quickly spread to its lower levels.

The cause of the fire is still being determined. Some unnamed officials quoted in local media outlets claim that it was an electric fire – others specified that faulty wiring on an electric kettle had sparked the flames. These officials dismissed claims that the fire was the result of a deliberate act of arson.

Photos and videos from within the conference center’s grounds reveal serious fire damages, with most of its conference halls appearing to have been partially, or completely burnt. The CICC’s website clarifies that, on its grounds, there are a total of 58,000 sq. meters of conference facilities that are “nothing less than state-of-the-art.”

Sources from the Misr Insurance Company claim that the exact extent of these damages are currently being investigated and assessed. 

Nonetheless, some media outlets have rushed to speculate as to the exact extent of these damages. Some outlets have claimed LE3 million in damages, while the privately-owned Al-Watan Newspaper has claimed that this fire resulted in LE 300 million worth of damages.