At least four people were killed, and 26 others injured in a fire that broke out at a data center located in the Telecom Egypt building in the Ramses area of downtown Cairo on Monday. The fire also led to some connectivity disruptions for a few hours.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the spokesperson at Egypt’s Health Ministry, told Reuters that most injuries were due to smoke inhalation. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Telecom Egypt said it mourned the employees that lost their lives, and offered support for their families.
“With heavy hearts, Telecom Egypt mourns the heroes who demonstrated the highest levels of dedication and sacrifice, remaining at their posts until the final moments to protect telecom infrastructure and serve the nation,” the statement read, as per a report in Daily News Egypt.
Al Arabiya reported that the fire halted phone calls, and disrupted internet access. Internet monitoring group Netblocks said that network data showed national connectivity at 62 percent of ordinary levels in wake of the fire.
Reuters, citing a bank source and residents, reported that some digital banking services were also impacted including credit cards, ATM machines and online transactions on Monday.
ABC News reported that the Egyptian Stock Exchange halted trading on Tuesday due to widespread disruption impacting the efficiency of the trading system.
According to a report by the Associated Press, a statement from the governor’s office said the fire started on the seventh floor. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority further revealed that it broke out in the equipment room, and led to a temporary disruption of telecom services.