Photos: Historic Ministry Building Catches Fire in Central Cairo

In central Cairo, Egypt, a historic non-Islamic ministry building caught fire on Saturday, just days after its employees were relocated to a new building built in the desert for the new capital, 45 kilometers east of Cairo. Reuters reported this.

It is currently unknown what caused the fire and whether anyone was injured.

According to a Reuters correspondent, the fire engulfed mostly the upper floors of the Ministry of Religious Endowments (Awqaf) building, although flames were seen entering through windows on the second floor.

Seven fire trucks were dispatched, and the fire was largely extinguished after several hours. The main part of the building was constructed in 1898, with two annexes built in 1912 and 1927.

The majority of the ministry's employees moved to the new capital at the end of July, distancing themselves from the turmoil and chaos in Cairo. Some of the old ministry buildings will be repurposed under the framework of Egypt's Sovereign Fund, with the government hoping that this process will attract necessary investments and help revitalize central Cairo.