A fire at a police training centre in a Cairo suburb killed 11 Egyptian police recruits and injured at least six, state- run media reported Friday. According to al-Ahram daily, the incident occurred early Thursday in a poor area on the outskirts of Cairo. The injured were rushed to hospital, but several were reported to have died of burns and asphyxiation before they reached the emergency room.
The fire was likely caused by a short circuit, according to official statements. The Interior Ministry and prosecutors were conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire. The accident took place just before the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, with al-Ahram commenting that their families' festivities "died" along with their loved ones. Each family of the deceased police recruits will receive 10,000 Egyptian pounds (1,750 dollars) as compensation from the government, the newspaper reported.