Monday, 25 May 2026
Fire at key Cairo telecom hub disrupts internet and banking nationwide
A devastating fire broke out late Monday, at Egypt’s historic Ramses Central telecom building in downtown Cairo, killing four people and injuring at least 39.
The blaze triggered a nationwide emergency as it crippled internet and phone services across the country, impacting millions.
Ramses Central, operating since 1927, is vital to Egypt’s digital infrastructure, connecting major telecom providers and handling over 40% of Egypt’s domestic and international data. As a result, banks, financial markets, and even media and airport operations experienced major disruptions.
Mobile, landline, and broadband services were brought down for hours, with national internet connectivity dropping to just 62% of usual levels, according to global observatory NetBlocks. The Egyptian Exchange was forced to suspend trading on Tuesday, and several banks reported ATM and online banking outages.
Authorities have pledged to gradually restore services and compensate users. Emergency crews are still cooling the site, and an investigation into the fire’s cause is underway.
The incident has sparked debate about the resilience of Egypt’s digital infrastructure, with calls for more backup systems to prevent such crises in the future.