A devastating explosion occurred Thursday evening at the Arabella Plaza Mall in New Cairo, leaving three people dead and seventeen others injured. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, the blast was triggered by a helium cylinder inside a ground-floor gift shop. While the explosion sparked a small fire that was quickly contained by responders, the force of the blast caused significant damage to the storefronts of neighboring businesses. Authorities have officially dismissed circulating rumors suggesting that an elevator failure played any part in the accident.

In the immediate aftermath, emergency services mobilized eight ambulances to the scene to provide urgent assistance. The injured victims were rushed to nearby medical facilities, with eleven individuals currently being treated at the New Cairo Specialized Hospital and six others receiving care at surrounding centers. The Ministry of Health has confirmed that healthcare personnel are on high alert, with medical teams closely monitoring the condition of the survivors as investigations into the incident continue.