Fire hits palm plantation in Egypt's New Valley, 37 hurt: report

The fire broke out on Friday near the New Valley provincial village of al Rashda


Reuters October 06, 2018
A fire had broken out at an Egyptian palm plantation. PHOTO: FILE

CAIRO: Egypt used air force helicopters on Saturday to fight a fire which swept through palm plantations in the southwest of the country, threatening residential areas, state news agency MENA reported.

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The agency said that at least 37 people were hurt, mostly
due to smoke inhalation, by the fire which broke out on Friday
near the New Valley provincial village of al Rashda. Authorities declared a high state of emergency and evacuated
houses as 30 fire trucks, backed by four fire-fighting
helicopters, battled the flames for more than 16 hours before
bringing the fire under control, the agency said. Seven fire fighters and civil defence personnel were among
the injured, who suffered from smoke inhalation or minor burns,
the agency said. There were no reports of deaths and most of the injured were
released after treatment at a school after the local clinic was
gutted by the fire, it said.

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New Valley Governor Mohamed al Zamlout was quoted as saying
that the fire had affected an area of around 100-feddan (104
acre) of mainly palm plantations and threatened to spread to
another village.

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