Officials: Fire at Coptic church in Cairo kills 41, hurts 14

Cairo: Egypt’s Coptic Church says a fire at a Cairo church Sunday killed at least 41 people and injured at least 14 others.

The Church, citing health officials for the casualty toll, said the blaze ripped through the Abu Sefein church in densely populated neighbourhood of Imbaba.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known. Police said an initial investigation blamed an electrical short-circuit. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke by phone with the Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to offer his condolences, the president’s office said.

Copts comprise about 10% of Egypt’s primarily Muslim population. (AP)