Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Minister: Blaze at Egypt’s Ramses Exchange impacts communications; restoration underway
Critical telecommunications services in central Cairo were disrupted after a fire broke out at the Ramses Telephone Exchange, one of the nation’s key digital infrastructure sites.
The incident was addressed at an emergency session of Egypt’s Parliament on Tuesday by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat.
According to Minister Talaat, the blaze began on the seventh floor of the building in a server room. Although the room was equipped with smoke detectors and an automated fire suppression system, these measures proved insufficient due to how quickly the fire spread. Cables carrying both electrical current and data acted as conduits, accelerating the blaze through the building, the minister explained.
Staff responded rapidly and called the Civil Defense forces, who arrived within the hour. However, the network of cable conduits allowed the fire to outpace initial containment efforts.
The Ramses Central building serves as a crucial node in Egypt’s telecommunications network, raising fears of widespread service outages.
However, Talaat emphasized that contingency plans were swiftly enacted. Traffic was rerouted through alternative infrastructure points, especially for emergency services such as ambulances, police, and fire departments. He assured Parliament that, aside from temporary disruptions in the immediate vicinity, the nation’s core internet and telecommunications networks remained operational.
Service restoration prioritized critical sectors: after emergency response systems, banking operations, including credit card and mobile payment platforms, were brought back online. Coordination between major telecom providers and Egypt’s regulatory authority was vital, as Telecom Egypt controls roughly 80% of the market.
Minister Talaat also addressed public concerns, noting that the internet continued functioning even amidst increased demand as citizens sought information online. Voice and data services between major mobile networks have already been restored.
Efforts are now focused on the area directly affected by the Ramses Exchange fire. External equipment is being deployed on nearby streets, as the building itself remains inaccessible. Full service is expected to return first to essential national institutions such as the Central Bank of Egypt.
Talaat concluded with assurances that once access is granted, authorities will conduct a comprehensive technical investigation to determine the cause and prevent future incidents.