A devastating fire at a key Telecom Egypt data centre in Cairo on Monday resulted in the deaths of four workers and left at least 22 others injured, according to Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for Egypt's Health Ministry. The incident triggered widespread communication disruptions across the capital and raised urgent concerns over infrastructure resilience.
The blaze, which broke out at the facility operated by Telecom Egypt (ETEL.CA), was brought under control by late Monday, state television reported. However, the impact was immediate and far-reaching, severely affecting phone lines, internet services, and even some digital banking operations.
Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, stated on Tuesday that efforts are underway to fully restore affected services within 24 hours. In an official statement, Telecom Egypt expressed deep sorrow over the lives lost and pledged support to the bereaved families.
Internet observatory NetBlocks reported that national internet connectivity dropped to just 62% of normal levels at the peak of the disruption. In response, the Health Ministry released alternative emergency contact numbers for ambulance services across various governorates.
The fire also hampered financial transactions, with several residents and a banking source confirming that credit card usage, ATM operations, and online banking services were disrupted. Fortunately, the incident occurred after most banks had closed for the day.
Health officials confirmed that the majority of injuries were caused by smoke inhalation. Egypt’s state news agency, MENA, noted that firefighters successfully prevented the flames from spreading to the entire building and nearby rooftops.
Preliminary investigations suggest an electrical short circuit as the likely cause of the blaze, according to security sources cited by MENA.
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