Fire near health ministry facilities in downtown Cairo brought under control

CAIRO – 14 March 2025: Civil protection forces successfully contained a fire that broke out near some facilities belonging to the Ministry of Health in Abdeen district of downtown Cairo. Cooling operations are underway.

According to Cairo Governorate, the incident left no injuries or fatalities.

However, the Ministry of Health reported in an earlier preliminary statement that one individual experienced difficulty breathing due to exposure to thick smoke from the fire.

The fire originated in wooden kiosks not affiliated with the ministry, located behind the administrative building of the medical licensing department, the health ministry’s statement read.

The fire reached the administrative headquarters of the medical licensing department and an adjoining administrative room within the central laboratories.

The civil protection forces managed to extinguish the fire before it could spread to the central laboratories building and the medical equipment associated with it, according to the statement.

 

Governor of Cairo Ibrahim Saber confirmed that the central laboratories of the ministry were not affected by the fire.

He assured that all medical equipment in the laboratories remained safe and unharmed.

The Abdeen prosecution office has begun an investigation into the fire, dispatching a team to assess the scene.

The investigation authorities requested a forensic examination and asked for police inquiries to determine whether there is any suspicion of criminal activity and to assess the extent of damages.

The gover instructed the swift removal of debris caused by the fire once the public prosecutor and forensic investigators have completed their assessments.

Saber also decided to form an engineering committee to estimate the damages.