Fire Outbreak at Egypt Telecom Data Centre Kills Four, Disrupts Internet and Banking Services

A massive fire erupted at a Telecom Egypt data centre in Cairo on Monday, killing four people and injuring at least 22 others. The blaze disrupted phone, internet, and digital banking services across the country, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

The fire broke out at a major facility owned by Telecom Egypt (ETEL.CA), one of the country’s leading telecommunications providers. The Health Ministry spokesperson, Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, told Reuters that most of the injured victims suffered from smoke inhalation.

According to Reuters, the blaze led to significant damage, halting phone calls, interrupting internet access, and crashing digital banking operations including ATM withdrawals and online transactions.

NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring service, reported that Egypt’s national internet connectivity dropped to 62% of its normal levels during the incident.

State television confirmed that firefighters were able to contain the blaze before it spread to the entire building and nearby structures. Nevertheless, the extent of the damage heavily impacted key digital infrastructure.

In response, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, announced that services would be gradually restored within 24 hours.

To manage the disruption, the Health Ministry released alternative emergency contact numbers across various governorates due to potential difficulties in reaching the primary ambulance hotline.

The incident raises new concerns about the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure in the digital age and highlights the need for enhanced fire safety protocols at data centres.