MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered his condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El Sisi over a fire at a Coptic Orthodox church in the neighbourhood of Imbaba in Giza Governorate, that killed 41 people, the Kremlin said on Monday.
In his telegram quoted by the Kremlin, Putin also said hopefully those injured in the deadly fire at the Abu Sefein church in Giza would soon recover, Tass news agency said.
According to the Egyptian Health Ministry, 41 people died and some others were injured in the blaze that erupted at a church in Imbaba on Sunday morning.
The country’s Interior Ministry reported earlier that the fire began in the air conditioning on the second floor as a result of an electrical malfunction.
Smoke inhalation was the main cause of deaths and injuries at a packed church, the ministry said in a statement.
Reports said the majority of the dead were children.
