On Monday, Giza Governor Ahmed Rashid revealed details of a building that has been burning for about two days near the Ring Road in the Faisal area.
Rashid said that the property was built without a permit in 2013, and the governorate was in the process of demolishing it, but after the new reconciliation law went into effect, the building’s owner applied for reconciliation and has been fighting to keep the building.
During a phone interview with Ahmed Moussa’s TV show “Ala Massoulity” (Under My Responsibility), Rashid said that no more than seven apartments inside the building are inhabited, leaving much of the building unoccupied.
According to Rashid, the fire broke out in a store for sports shoes in the basement of the building, and legal measures have been taken towards the store owners. He pointed out that the building belongs to the Kerdasa neighborhood and all officials there will be held accountable.
He added that 3 neighboring properties were evacuated, and an engineering committee was brought in to examine the building.
The governor concluded: “Once the investigations are over, the building will be removed after examination, if it is proven unsafe,” denying that there is any leaning in the property as reported.
Rashid stated that overall, building violations have decreased since 2018, due to stricter punishments for violations.
He revealed that since the law went into effect, 178,000 violations have been counted in the Giza Governorate, and 35,000 of them removed. Giza authorities also received 205,000 reconciliation requests, amounting to LE1.5 billion, and the governorate is still receiving requests.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
