In brief
A lorry struck a microbus on a highway south of Cairo, killing ten and injuring 24, according to Xinhua. Hospitals were put on high alert and 20 ambulances were dispatched to treat victims. Preliminary findings suggest excessive speed in fog as a possible cause, though exact details remain pending further investigation.
A lorry crashed into a microbus on a highway in Giza Governorate, south of Cairo, on Saturday, killing ten people and injuring 24, Xinhua reported. The collision took place near the Jiffa exit, where both vehicles were heading northbound along the 20‑kilometre stretch that carries heavy regional traffic.
In response to the emergency call, hospitals in the surrounding area were ordered to raise their alert levels and mobilize medical resources to manage the sudden influx of casualties, said the Ministry of Health and Population in the Xinhua statement.
The Egyptian Ambulance Authority dispatched twenty ambulances to the scene within minutes of receiving the emergency report, transporting the injured to medical facilities in Cairo and nearby towns for treatment.
According to the ministry, ten of those injured are in an unstable condition, while the other fourteen suffered minor to moderate injuries. The figures are described as preliminary, as follow‑up operations continue to assess the full impact of the accident.
Preliminary investigations point to excessive speed amid foggy weather conditions as possible contributing factors to the collision, local media reported. Xinhua noted that the incident occurred during a period of reduced visibility, which may have impaired driver judgment.
Road accidents continue to claim thousands of lives in Egypt each year, with speeding, traffic violations and poor road conditions cited as common causes, the report added. The country has been upgrading its road network over recent years to improve traffic flow and enhance safety measures across major highways.
In the weeks that followed the crash, authorities reviewed the state of the highway where the accident occurred, checking for signage, lighting and road surface integrity. The review, conducted by the Giza Governorate road safety office, was part of a broader national initiative to reduce fatal collisions on the nation’s busiest routes.
Emergency services maintained extensive on‑scene operations to clear wreckage and provide immediate medical care, while nearby hospitals underwent a surge in admissions. The Ministry of Health reiterated that these capacities were activated in accordance with national disaster response protocols.
Sources have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the accident, nor identified whether any traffic violations or mechanical failures contributed. The Ministry’s statement emphasizes that investigations are still in progress, and final conclusions will lag behind preliminary findings, leaving several details unresolved.
