EL AYYAT — 2002 · Major Tragedy
El Ayyat Train Fire
At about 2 a.m. on 20 February 2002, fire broke out in a third-class carriage of the crowded passenger train No. 832 travelling south from Cairo, near El Ayyat. Officials said the fire started when a gas cylinder exploded. The flames destroyed seven carriages that were carrying far more passengers than their capacity. With no communication between the driver and the rear carriages, the train kept moving for some time while burning, and many passengers jumped from the windows. The official death toll was given as 383, but because there was no full passenger list and many bodies could not be identified, the true number was thought likely to be higher. It is recorded as Egypt's deadliest rail disaster.
- Date
- 2002
- Place
- Giza, Egypt, El Ayyat, EG
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 29.6200, 31.2600 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 20 February 2002, ~02:00Fire broke out in carriages near El Ayyat.
- 20 February 2002The official toll was given as 383.
- February 2002It was debated whether the true toll was higher.
Sources
- CNN — Egypt train fire edition.cnn.com ↗
- The Guardian — Egypt train fire theguardian.com ↗
- BBC News — Egypt train fire news.bbc.co.uk ↗
- CNN
- The Guardian
- BBC News
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.