Mother and four daughters killed in apartment fire

Dubai: Five members of the same family were killed early on Friday after a fire swept through their apartment in Egypt’s Giza Governorate, prompting prosecutors to open an urgent investigation into the cause of the blaze.

The fire broke out in a seventh-floor apartment at one of the Mahmoudia Towers in the Omrania district and quickly spread through the home, trapping the family inside.

Witnesses said the mother was seen calling for help from a window as residents gathered below the building and alerted civil defence teams.

As flames intensified and thick smoke filled the apartment, the mother attempted to escape with her daughters by jumping from the window.

The youngest child died at the scene. The mother, 51, and another daughter were taken to Umm Al-Masryeen Hospital in critical condition, but later died from their injuries despite attempts to save them.

After firefighters brought the blaze under control and prevented it from spreading to neighbouring flats, rescue teams entered the apartment to search for further victims.

Two more girls were found dead inside after being trapped by the fire, bringing the death toll to five members of the same family.

Ambulances later transported the bodies to the hospital morgue, where they were placed at the disposal of the public prosecution pending legal procedures.

Prosecutors also inspected the scene to determine how the fire started and whether it was caused by a gas leak, an electrical short circuit or any criminal act.