ALBAWABA- Three people were killed and 17 others injured when a helium cylinder exploded inside a shopping mall in New Cairo on Thursday evening, Egypt’s Ministries of Health and Interior reported.
The blast occurred at Arabella Plaza Mall on Gamal Abdel Nasser Street in New Cairo’s Third District. Preliminary investigations indicated that a helium cylinder inside a ground-floor gift shop exploded, triggering a small fire that spread to a neighboring restaurant.
Civil Protection teams evacuated shoppers and employees, contained the fire and prevented it from spreading further. The explosion also damaged the facades of several nearby shops.c
Eleven of the injured were taken to New Cairo Specialized Hospital, while six others were transferred to nearby medical facilities. Their conditions are being monitored.
Security forces cordoned off the mall as prosecutors opened an investigation into the incident. Authorities also rejected reports circulating online that an elevator had collapsed at the mall.
The latest incident comes amid a series of deadly accidents in Egypt. Last Tuesday, a pickup truck carrying workers overturned in Ismailia Governorate, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 30. Earlier this year, a major fire at a wood-storage facility in Cairo’s Manshiyat Naser district caused a building collapse, killing several people, including civil protection personnel.
