CAIRO: A fire broke out on Ramses Street near al-Is'af Square late Saturday afternoon, spewing plumes of acrid black smoke into the streets of downtown Cairo. Witnesses and emergency workers said the fire began between 3 pm and 4:30 pm due to an electrical short circuit in a tire storeroom within the building. As of early evening, about 25 people were injured and there were no fatalities, according to an ambulance worker near the scene. Throngs of onlookers gathered near the blaze, snapping pictures and watching firefighters combat the flames. The smoke, sharp with the smell of burning rubber, prompted many passersby to cover their mouths and noses. Emergency services responded quickly, according to workers at a nearby juice store. Nonetheless, traffic on Ramses Street slowed a number of emergency vehicles' attempts to reach the fire, and civilians were seen helping guide traffic. By 6 pm police had blocked a large section of Ramses Street and numerous fire engines, water tankers and ambulances were present at the scene. In 2008, several disasters including a deadly rockslide in Duweiqa and a fire at the Egyptian National Theater have triggered criticism of Egypt's emergency services. A fire in August gutted a large portion of Egypt's Shoura Council, the Upper House of Parliament.
