CAIRO: Nine people were killed and nine others injured, including five in critical condition, following a massive fire inside a clothing factory and warehouse in a 12-storey building in the Al Zaytoun district of central Cairo.

The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon, with firefighting operations continuing until early Wednesday morning, while cooling operations continued during the day to prevent reignition.

Police arrested three brothers, the owners of the factory, after investigations revealed that the facility was operating without a legal licence and lacked necessary safety measures. The Public Prosecution has launched an investigation and requested forensic reports to determine the causes of death, in addition to forming an urgent engineering committee to assess the affected building and its structural safety.

Cairo Civil Defence teams managed to bring the fire under control after hours of efforts, involving six fire engines and 10 ambulances.