At least 20 people have been confirmed dead following a deadly fire outbreak at Egypt’s main railway station in the capital, Cairo.
Officials say more than 40 others have also sustained injuries in the large fire.
Egypt’s National Railway Authority said on Wednesday that fire erupted after a train collided with a concrete buffer stop.
The collision happened at the Ramses Station, in the city centre, resulting in the train’s fuel tank exploding.
The exploded fuel tank then set the entire station and nearby buildings on fire, according to Railway authority.
Security sources have however said they do not believe the crash was deliberate.
A witness told Reuters that “I was standing on the platform and I saw the train speed into the barrier. Everyone started running but a lot of people died after the locomotive exploded.”
Another witness was also quoted by Reuters as saying that “I saw a man pointing from the locomotive as it entered the platform, and screaming ‘There are no brakes, there are no brakes’ before he jumped out of the locomotive. And I don’t know what happened to him.”
Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly says the incident would be investigated. he promised that anyone found responsible for the disaster will be punished.
Meanwhile all train arrivals and departures at the station have been suspended for now.
Source: Africafeeds.com
