Egyptian church fire kills at least 41, most of them children - Reuters

CAIRO, Aug 14 (Reuters) - An electrical fire swept through an Egyptian Coptic Christian church during Mass on Sunday, causing a stampede and killing at least 41 people, most of them children and many suffering from smoke inhalation.

in the Abu Sifin church in the city of Giza where about up to 1,000 people had gathered.

The fire blocked an entrance to the church, causing the stampede, the two sources said, adding that most of those killed were children.

In late 2020, a fire at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients killed at least seven people.

Mother of three children, who died during the fire that broke out in the Abu Sifin church, reacts before their and other victims' funeral inside the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Warraq Al Arab district in Giza Governorate, Egypt, August 14, 2022.

"I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the innocent victims that have passed on to be with their Lord in one of his houses of worship," said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a tweet.

Maher Murad said he left his sister at the church after prayers.