Cairo train station fire

This item appears on page 18 of the April 2019 issue.

On Feb. 27, a passenger train struck a buffer stop at a platform in Cairo's Ramses Station, the main train station in the city, and burst into flames, killing at least 25 people and injuring 50. The fire spread to nearby buildings before being extinguished.

Authorities arrested the train's engineer, accusing him of leaving the train without first setting the brakes. The engineer claims that the brakes were set before he left but failed due to corrosion.