Cairo 14 August : At at least 41 people have died in an explosion at an Egyptian Coptic church in Giza close to Cairo according to the Health Ministry of Egypt said on Sunday.The deaths were attributed to dense smoke as well as a stampede that was triggered by the fire the Health Minister Khalid Abdul Ghafar said in an announcement, the dpa news agency reported.
Another 14 people were wounded in the blaze at the Abo Sefein Church in the city of Giza.Twelve remain in hospitals and two others were discharged.
The Coptic Church reported that a huge flame was reported during a mass in the morning on Sunday.
The fire was caused by an electric circuit malfunction that was caused by an air conditioning unit in the church’s structure the Interior Ministry said.
The fire was controlled the ministry added in the statement.Five civil defence personnel were hurt in the incident.
Photos in the Egyptian media showed the exterior of the church partially blacked out as a result of the fire that destroyed a portion of the interior of the church.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi offered condolences to the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, the presidency said.
Egypt is the biggest Christian group in the Middle East, accounting for about 10 percent of the country’s largely Muslim population of more than 100 million.
int/arm
