Date | 11 March 2021 |
---|---|
Location | Obour, Egypt |
Type | Fire |
Deaths | 20 |
Non-fatal injuries | 24 |
On 11 March 2021, a fire occurred at a clothing factory in Obour, [1] a city in Egypt near Cairo. [2] It killed at least 20 people and injured another 24. [3] Fifteen fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the fire. [1]
The cause of the fire was likely a chemical explosion involving flammable materials stored in the basement of the building. [4] [5] Enforcement of safety standards and fire regulations in Egypt is notoriously lax, and fires are not uncommon in factories and hospitals. [1] [6] [7] 2021 set a record for fires in factories worldwide, with nearly 2,000 confirmed factory fires around the world during the year. [8]