CAIRO, July 8, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A major fire erupted at a key telecommunications hub in the Egyptian capital on Monday, the Cairo governorate said in a statement, causing significant phone and internet disruption.

The health ministry said in a statement that 14 people had been injured in the fire.

The blaze began on the seventh floor of the historic 10-storey telephone exchange in downtown Cairo, where an AFP journalist saw thick black smoke billowing from the area.

Videos shared widely on social media showed smoke pouring from the upper floors of the building, visible from several kilometres away.

Fire crews were dispatched to the scene and the Egyptian state television said that the fire has been contained.

According to Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber, the fire caused power outages in the area.

State-run newspaper Al-Ahram also reported the blaze disrupted phone and internet services across the capital.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said the outage in telecommunications and internet networks caused limited delays in some flights at Cairo airport.

The Ramses exchange, a vital telecommunications hub, plays a central role in Egypt's internet and telephone infrastructure.