CAIRO (Arab News/MEMO) – A young Egyptian Muslim rescued five children from Sunday’s fire at the Abu Sefein church in the city of Giza, which killed 41 people and injured 14.
“I quickly entered the church to save people … and I encountered a lot of fire and smoke,” said Muhammad Yahya, who lives next door and was injured during the rescue.
He added that he headed to the church because he heard screams from inside the building. The density of the fumes obstructed Yahya’s breathing and vision, so he took off his T-shirt, doused it in water and placed it over his nose to block the fumes from reaching his respiratory path.
He tried to rescue an elderly man by carrying him on his back, but he slipped due to the large amount of water used to extinguish the fire, and they both fell to the ground.
Yahya broke his leg in the fall and was taken to hospital. He has been visited by priests checking on his health and thanking him for his bravery.
The Egyptian Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said an electrical malfunction caused the fire that broke out in the church in Giza.
Abdel Ghaffar told reporters during a visit to the Imbaba General Hospital where most of the people injured in the fire were receiving treatment that the fire broke out at 9am.
According to the minister, prior to the fire, there was a power cut during which an electricity generator was operating, however when the power returned, the generator exploded.
He added that suffocation from smoke was the main cause of death and injury, especially among the elderly and children.