A devastating fire broke out on Monday afternoon at a central telecommunications facility operated by Telecom Egypt in Cairo’s Ramses district, resulting in the deaths of at least four people and injuring 27 others, according to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Health.

The blaze, which erupted in one of the country’s key telecom hubs, caused major disruptions to phone and internet services across parts of Cairo and neighboring regions, sparking widespread concern as communication lines went down during critical hours.

The Health Ministry confirmed that the injured were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, while several others were treated on-site for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. Emergency services responded quickly to contain the fire, which posed a significant threat to public infrastructure and safety.

The incident led to temporary shutdowns in telecommunications and internet connectivity, affecting both residential and commercial users. The ripple effects extended to Cairo International Airport, where flight operations were delayed overnight due to disrupted communication systems.

By Tuesday morning, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, announced that restoration efforts were well underway, with full service expected to resume within 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that normal operations had resumed at all terminals of Cairo International Airport.

“All affected flights have taken off, and operations at all terminals have returned to normal,” the ministry stated.

Preliminary findings suggest that the fire was likely caused by an electrical short circuit, though officials have not ruled out other possibilities. Criminal lab experts have been deployed to examine the site and determine the exact cause of the blaze.

Authorities continue to assess structural damage and conduct safety inspections in the area to prevent further incidents and ensure the continued stability of national telecom services.

The Ramses facility plays a critical role in Egypt’s communications infrastructure, and the fire has highlighted the vulnerability of key public service nodes in the face of electrical and technical failures. (ILKHA)