A fire at a local church in Al-Giza, Egypt, has killed 41 people, while the Ministry of Health has reported at least 55 people injured.
Arab News has reported with reference to the Coptic Church of Egypt that a big fire broke out in the church on Sunday.
The Coptic Church reported the death toll, citing health officials and saying the fire broke out while worship was in progress.
A spokesman for the Coptic Church told Al Arabiya TV that the priest of the church died in the accident.
After the incident, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also spoke on the phone with the Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II to express his condolences.
"At least 30 ambulances took the injured to local hospitals," Health Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdul Ghaffar told the state-run news website Ihram.
According to the report, the injured have been shifted to Ambaba General Hospital and Al-Ajoza Hospital.
It should be noted that the fire broke out in Abusfin Church in Ganjanabad neighborhood of Ambaba.
However, the cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Police have said that there are reports of an electrical short circuit in the initial investigation.
General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in a Facebook post that he is closely monitoring the situation following the "tragic accident" and has instructed all relevant state institutions to take necessary measures.
The Egyptian president said, "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent victims."
