Civil protection forces put out a fire caused by a blast in a storage depot at a military-owned petrochemical plant in east Cairo on Thursday night (July 12th), Egypt’s Ahram Online reported.
"Because of high temperature, one of the petrochemical depots exploded," Egyptian army spokesman Tamer el-Refaie said in a statement. "Civil protection firefighters were able to contain the fire before extinguishing it."
Police sources said at least eight people were injured in the blast on Joseph Tito Street in Cairo's Heliopolis district. No deaths have been reported.
Images shared on social media show large plumes of smoke rising up in the air around the site of the explosion, which is near the Cairo international airport.
The area was cordoned off by police, with fire engines and emergency vehicles sent to fight the flames and help the wounded, AFP reported.
The Department of Civil Aviation said the explosion had not taken place inside the airport, as indicated by some sources.
"Air traffic continues," ministry spokesman Bassem Abdel Karim said in a statement. "Departing and arriving flights are not affected."
