Egypt car explosion causes chaos on Cairo streets

At least 13 people were injured after a car explosion in central Cairo on Monday, the Egyptian health ministry said.

The loud blast occurred after the vehicle collided with a microbus, authorities said, noting the car had been completely destroyed. Damage was also reported to a nearby building, Reuters reported.

The injured were transported from the scene to a number of different hospitals where they were treated for wounds and burns, the ministry said in a statement.

Experts confirmed the blast was caused by an electrical fault which spread a fire to the car's fuel tank, state-run media reported.

A security source echoed the account in a statement given to journalists, noting the vehicles car's electrics short-circuited, causing a fire, then an explosion. However, the source said the traffic accident had occurred after the blast.

Road and transport safety is a major concern in Egypt. There is poor enforcement of traffic laws, and roads are badly maintained.

Egypt's statistical body says 14,700 road accidents took place in 2016 alone.

Accidents cost Egypt $7 billion per year, or 3.2 per cent of GDP, according to the World Bank.