Local media give conflicting reports on fire outside British embassy

A fire broke out near the British Embassy in Cairo’s Garden City district on Friday, the state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.

The blaze erupted when the engine of a Central Security Forces vehicle stationed outside the embassy exploded, according to MENA.

The fire was quickly put out and caused no significant damages, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

“We value our cooperation with the Egyptian authorities that quickly controlled the situation,” the embassy’s spokesperson told MENA.

However, a different narrative was put forth by the state-owned news site Ahram Gate, which reported that the fire started when a conscript accidently set off a tear gas canister inside the vehicle.

The British Embassy in Cairo had announced Sunday that it would suspend its services until further notice due to security concerns, and asked Egyptian citizens to refrain from visiting its premises in the upscale Cairo neighborhood.

The Canadian embassy — also located in Garden City — followed suit, suspending services and issuing a travel warning to Egypt for its citizens.

The Interior Ministry has denied any threats against the embassies, and stated that a new security plan is being put together to protect them.