Region | Egypt
National Theatre goes up in flames
A fire destroyed the main hall of Egypt's National Theatre in the heart of downtown Cairo on Saturday, wounding three firefighters, a civil defence officer said.
- AP
- Published: 21:14 September 28, 2008
- Firemen battle a fire in the National Theatre in Cairo. The fire started just before iftar while workers were performing maintenance on the theatre’s electrical systems.
- Image Credit: Reuters
Cairo: A fire destroyed the main hall of Egypt's National Theatre in the heart of downtown Cairo on Saturday, wounding three firefighters, a civil defence officer said.
Billowing white smoke filled the busy Ataba Square as 22 engines responded to the alarms. Dozens of riot police also deployed to keep back onlookers.
A major-general with the civil defence on the scene described the fire as "almost contained", after high winds briefly drove flames into neighbouring shops and buildings. Three firefighters were hospitalised for smoke inhalation.
The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
Brigadier General Nasr Zakaria of the civil defence operations room told the state Mena news agency that the fire began with an electrical short-circuit that caused an explosion in the theatre's air-conditioning system.
The fire started just before iftar while workers were performing maintenance on the theatre's electrical systems.
Eye-witness
"There was a big blast, then smoke started rising from the roof," said Mahmoud Osman, the owner of a shop across the square. "Then flames engulfed the whole roof area and damaged parts of the wall."
The theatre was originally built in 1935, but had been recently renovated.
The building would have been practically deserted due to iftar, but was scheduled to perform popular poetry recitations later on that night.
In August, Egypt's upper house of parliament was devastated by massive fire, also located in the downtown area.
That fire provoked popular outrage at the incompetence of firefighters and it was described as the latest failing of a government unable to take care of its population or stem the rising prices of foodstuffs.
Press reports at the time focused on poor training of firefighters and the absence of sprinklers or a fire management plan for the building - features which are rare throughout Egypt, where safety rules are nonexistent or lax. Few buildings in Cairo even have smoke alarms.
Share this article
Popular in News
News Editor's choice
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
-
Nato supports Obama's plea
European and other allies to send around 6,000 troops to Afghanistan
-
Official confirms mayor is the suspect
Many witnesses have come forward, justice secretary says
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
