Cairo train station explosion

At least 25 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a train crashed at high speed into a barrier at Cairo’s main station, causing its fuel tank to explode and triggering a huge fire.

Egypt’s transport minister, Hisham Arafat, resigned hours after the prime minister, Mostafa Madbouly, promised a tough response if any negligence was found. Egyptians have long complained that the government has failed to deal with chronic transport problems and poorly maintained railway lines.

Railway officials said the single railcar was travelling too fast when it collided head-on with the barrier. At least 47 people were injured, many of whom suffered severe burns and are now in critical condition.

The explosion and fire blasted through people on the platform in the busy Ramses station in downtown Cairo. A surveillance video shared by local media showed the moment of impact when the car barrelled past people who were then engulfed in flames and smoke.