At least 40 people were killed in a church fire in the Egyptian city of Giza on Sunday. The news agency reported that 45 other people were injured Reuters. The authorities fear that many children may be among the victims. Locals say there is a daycare center in the church building The media.

Egyptian media reported that the fire broke out in the Abu Sefein Church in the Imbaba district of Imbaba. The emergency services were mobilized en masse to bring the fire under control. The Egyptian Ministry of Interior stated that an electrical failure in one of the air conditioning units caused the fire.

Reuters It reports that at least 5,000 people were in the church when the fire broke out. The prayer service had just ended. When the flames were noticed, there was great panic and the people fled en masse at the same time, blocking the doors.

The authorities fear that the death toll will rise due to the large number of people present. For example, church authorities take into account 41 dead and at least 55 wounded.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi offered his condolences to the families of the victims on their death. He wrote on Facebook that families can count on “all the support of the government”.