One fatality in southern Cairo building collapse

A building collapsed in the district of Bassateen in southern Cairo, killing one and injuring three.

According to state owned EGYNews, a gas cylinder exploded in one of the apartments, which caused the collapse. 

Several fire trucks were dispatched to control the blaze and casualties were taken to the local hospital.

In March, a four-story building collapsed in Shubra, northern Cairo, killing at least two people. According to reports, the building was old and not constructed on concrete supports. An elderly lady and her grandson were killed in the tragedy. Other buildings were inspected at the time in the district, and an official from the municipality stated that any damaged buildings would be evacuated.

Although this is not a new phenomenon in Egypt, there has been a recent spate of building collapses, revealing infrastructural issues and corruption in Egypt’s housing sector.

Five separate incidents occurred in March across the country, killing six in Alexandria, two in Giza, two in Cairo, and depriving many families of their homes.

According to the Atlantic Council, approximately twenty buildings have been collapsing on a yearly basis in Alexandria alone.

Cairo municipality started a campaign in March to remove unlicensed buildings in the Dar al-Salam area behind the constitutional court in Maadi. The buildings occupied more than 60 acres of state-owned land. The destruction of the buildings took place under the supervision of both the police and the Armed forces. According to reports, the building in this area started shortly after the January 25 uprising and continued for more than two years.

The lack of ability to enforce regulations on urban development in the last few years and to carry out necessary repairs on old buildings has resulted in a spiraling crisis that will be difficult and costly to fix.