Scores killed in devastating Cairo train station fire

A catastrophic train station blaze in Cairo on Wednesday has killed at least 24 people and injured 50, initial reports confirmed.

Mohammed Said, head of the Cairo Railroad hospital, said the death toll is likely to rise following the fire which erupted in the Egyptian capital’s main train station on Wednesday morning.

Shourouk News put the current death toll at 24 people, but a The New Arab reporter in Cairo says 40 people have died so far in the blaze. Official security and medical sources confirmed at least 20 people have died.

A fuel tank explosion on a speeding train which crashed while heading into the Ramsis station is said to have triggered the fire in downtown Cairo, according to Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram.

Meanwhile, The New Arab's correspondent on the ground said the fire was triggered after a collision between an air-conditioning wagon and a train.

The exact source of the fire, or whether the explosion caused the train derailment or a train crash led to the fuel tank explosion, is currently unclear.

Gruesome photos showing bodies charred by flames littered on the tracks and platform have begun to circulate. Images show flames still raging and plumes of fire rising in the background.

A security official confirmed there were multiple fatalities and many people wounded, but an official count has not yet been given.