2015 Cairo restaurant fire explained

2015 Cairo restaurant fire
Location:Cairo, Egypt
Target:Employees of the club
Type:Arson, Mass killing
Fatalities:17[1]
Injuries:6[2]
Victim:-->
Weapons:Molotov cocktail
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-->}}On December 4, 2015, a molotov cocktail was thrown into the El Sayad restaurant in Cairo, Egypt.[3] The resultant fire killed 17 people, and wounded six.[4] [5] The restaurant was also a nightclub and was located in the Agouza district of the city.[3]

The restaurant was located in a basement and had no fire exits.[4]

Investigation

The prime perpetrators were two young men who were denied entry by the club's security personnel at the door on Thursday night. The duo with the aid of two others then came back at 6:00 a.m. on Friday to the restaurant & bar, named Al-Sayyad, with a Molotov cocktail. They picked a fight with door security and then threw the firebomb inside the club before fleeing the scene. All victims, 12 men and 5 women, were employees of the club.[6] Investigations revealed that the emergency exit door was locked with chains, contributing to the high death toll. On 16 January 2016, Cairo prosecutors charged all four suspects with murder in relation to the arson attack.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Death toll of arson attack at Cairo nightclub increases to 17.
  2. Web site: Molotov cocktail kills 16 at Cairo restaurant. the Guardian. 4 December 2015.
  3. Web site: Cairo firebomb attack - Molotov cocktail thrown at restaurant kills at least 12 - World - News - Daily Express. Tom Batchelor. Express.co.uk. 4 December 2015.
  4. Web site: Molotov explosive kills 16 people at Cairo restaurant: security officials. 4 December 2015. Reuters.
  5. Web site: Cairo firebombing: Molotov explosive kills at least 12 in Egypt nightclub, say security officials. 4 December 2015. Telegraph.co.uk.
  6. Web site: 16 dead in altercation-turned-arson attack at Cairo night club.
  7. Web site: Four charged with murder in arson attack on Giza nightclub.