Egyptians are reeling from the shock of a deadly blast that rocked the central Cairo neighborhood of Manial just before midnight Aug. 5. The explosion that occurred outside the Cairo University-affiliated National Cancer Institute (NCI), an oncology hospital and research center, left 22 people dead and dozens injured. The death toll may rise further as some of those injured are in critical condition.
Initial reports by the pro-government Youm7 and other Egyptian news sites said an oxygen tank exploded inside the institute and firefighters were heading to the hospital to extinguish the blaze. But Cairo University quickly contradicted the news accounts, saying the explosion was caused by a car collision outside the hospital, causing extensive damage to the facade of the building.
