Giza church fire

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Giza church fire

Date 14 August 2022

Venue Abu Sefein Church, Giza, Egypt

Location Giza, Egypt

Coordinates 30°04′30″N 31°11′13″ECoordinates:  30°0

4′30″N 31°11′13″E

Type Fire

Cause Short circuit

Deaths 41

Non-fatal 45

injuries

On 14 August 2022, a fire broke out at the Abu Sefein Church, a Coptic church in
the Imbaba neighbourhood of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, during Sunday
worship services when nearly 5,000 worshippers were gathered. [1][2][3] Forty-one people
were killed during the fire, including at least 18 children. [4][5][2][6] One of the church's priests,
Abdul Masih Bakhit, was among those killed in the fire. [7]

Contents
 1Background
 2Fire
 3Reactions
 4References

Background[edit]
Electrical fires occur often in Egypt, where building and inspection standards are
inadequate and poorly enforced.[8][2] Multiple fires have occured in hospitals, with one in
2020 killing seven COVID-19 patients.[2][6] A fire aboard a train that spread throughout the
coaches killed 370 people in 2002, and more recently a fire in a garment factory outside
of Cairo killed 20 people in 2021.[6]
The church is named for Saint Mercurius, known in Arabic as Abu Sefein,[9] and it is one
of the largest churches in Giza, the second largest city in Egypt after neighbouring
Cairo. Egyptian law strictly regulates construction in churches, historically requiring a
presidential decree to gain a building permit. Due to the difficulty in gaining approval for
projects, unauthorised construction is widespread, often without following fire
safety regulations. It had initially been converted into a church without a permit, though
it was retroactively legalised.[6]

Fire[edit]
The Ministry of Interior said that the fire was caused by a faulty air-conditioning unit on
the second floor of the church. According to the Ministry of Health most of the deaths
were due to smoke inhalation or being trampled in the stampede to escape the building.
[6]

The church hosts a nursery, and the security services reported that most of those killed
were children.[1][10]
One local hospital's records showed 20 bodies received, among them 10 children, while
another local hospital received 21 bodies. [7] A neighbouring church's priest said that
children were taken to higher floors to escape the blaze instead of being evacuated.
[6]
 Eyewitnesses reported that people attempted to jump to safety from the upper floors
to escape the fire.[7][1] Bystanders reportedly rushed into the church to help evacuate
those trapped until the fire's intensity and smoke became too overwhelming. [1]
The fire's death toll was among the worst in Egypt's recent history, and the country's top
prosecutor ordered an investigation into the blaze. [7][6] Relatives of those trapped in the
church said that the paramedics and firefighters were slow in reaching the site, with one
witness interviewed by Al Jazeera saying it took two hours for a fire truck to arrive,
[6]
 while the Health Ministry said the first fire truck arrived two minutes after the first
reports of a fire were received.[7] Eyewitnesses reported that the fire began at 8 am and
lasted for two hours.[11]
While Egypt's Copts have faced discrimination, attacks, and religious violence, both the
church authorities and the Egyptian state agencies believe the fire to be accidental. [4][12]

Reactions[edit]
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi issued a statement expressing his regret, saying "I offer
my sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims that have passed on to
be with their Lord in one of his houses of worship," [2][4] Prime Minister Mostafa
Madbouly announced that each deceased person's family would be given
100,000 Egyptian pounds in compensation, while those injured would be given up to
20,000 Egyptian pounds, and the Minister of Social Solidarity further announced that al-
Azhar Mosque and other civil society groups would be offering an additional 50,000
Egyptian pounds to the victims and their families. [13] Al-Azhar Mosque expressed its
condolences, and the grand imam of al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb offered his sympathy to
the Coptic pope Tawadros II.[13] Mohamed Salah, captain of the Egyptian national
football team, also tweeted his condolences.[4]

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d McKernan, Bethan (14 August 2022). "At least 41 people killed in Egypt church fire,
say officials". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "At least 41 killed in Egyptian church fire, security sources say". Reuters. 14
August 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
3. ^ "At least 41 killed in Egyptian church fire: Officials". Al Jazeera English. 14 August
2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Salem, Mostafa; Kourdi, Eyad; Engels, Jorge; Humayun, Hira (14 August
2022). "Children among dozens killed in Egypt church fire". CNN. Archived from the original on 15
August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
5. ^ "41 dead, 12 injured in Church of Abu Sefein blaze in Imbaba". Daily News Egypt. 14 August 2022.
Retrieved 14 August 2022.
6. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h Rashwan, Nada; Ward, Euan; Stack, Liam; Joseph, Yonette (14 August
2022). "Fire at Egypt Coptic Church Kills Dozens During Sunday Prayers". The New York Times.
Retrieved 14 August 2022.
7. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Magdy, Samy (14 August 2022). "Officials: Fire at Coptic church in Cairo kills 41,
hurts 14". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022.
Retrieved 14 August 2022.
8. ^ "A fire at a church in Cairo kills 41 people and hurts 14 others". NPR.org. 14 August
2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
9. ^ Wimmer, AC (14 August 2022). "Reports of at least 40 people killed in church fire in Egypt". Catholic
News Agency. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
10. ^ Violetta Baran (14 August 2022), "Tragedia w Gizie. W pożarze kościoła zginęło 41 osób", wp.pl (in
Polish), Wirtualna Polska, archived from the original on 14 August 2022, retrieved 14 August 2022
11. ^ ‫ مصطفى‬,‫( السيد‬14 August 2022). ")‫ صباحً ا واستمر] ساعتين» (بث مباشر‬8 ‫ «الحريق بدأ‬:‫"شهود عيان كنيسة أبو سيفين بإمبابة‬. Al-
Masry al-Youm. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14