Egypt, Cairo
Reuters
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Four workers have been killed and at least 22 people injured in the fire, causing it to occur at a key data centre in Cairo on Monday, Hotsam Abdel Gaffer, a spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Health, told Reuters on Tuesday.
The flames at the Telecommunications Egyptian Etel.ca facility, which stated that state television was included on Monday, disrupted communications throughout the capital.
Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat said in a statement Tuesday that the service will gradually recover within 24 hours.
In a statement Tuesday, Telecom Egypt lamented the lost employee and said it provided support to its families.
The fire has caused calls to be suspended, disrupted internet access, and Internet monitoring group Netblocks say network data has shown nationwide connectivity at 62% of the normal level.
The Ministry of Health has posted alternative numbers for various governor ambulance services in case people fail to reach its main hotline.
In addition to phone calls, several digital banking services have also been affected, including credit cards, ATM machines and online transactions, bank sources and residents said Monday. The bank had already been closed that day.
The injuries were primarily caused by inhaling smoke, Gaffer, a health ministry spokesman, said Monday.
Mena, the state news agency, said Monday that the fire was prevented from spreading across the entire building and on nearby rooftops.
Initial inspections showed that the fire was likely caused by an electrical short circuit, Mena quoted as saying by security sources.
