Egypt’s firefighters battle blaze to save Cairo’s historic district


Ahmed Maher
  • English
  • Arabic

Firefighters in Cairo battled through the night to control a large blaze in the city's historic quarter and prevent it spreading to important cultural sites.

Flames filled the sky over Old Cairo near the historic Mosque of Al Hussein, close to the tourist area of Khan El Khalili.

At least one apartment was destroyed and footage on state media showed emergency workers rescuing residents from the burning building.

Fire crews were called out to a building of the Religious Endowments Ministry.

It was still unclear what sparked the fire, but witnesses said it was caused by a gas cylinder explosion. There was no information on casualties.

Liquefied petroleum gas, supplied in cylinders, is the main fuel for cooking and heating in many Egyptian households.

The building is in the vicinity of the famous bazaar known as Khan El Khalili.

Khaled Salaheldin, a senior official at the Religious Endowments authority in Cairo, told the government-run Al Ahram newspaper that the fire was limited to one building.

“The historical area and Al Hussein mosque are completely intact,” he said.

“The brave firefighters have painstakingly worked to extinguish the fire and rescue trapped residents.”

Al Hussein Mosque and mausoleum dates back to 1154. Shiite Muslims believe that the head of Al Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, is buried there.

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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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Updated: January 31, 2022, 1:56 PM