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AUTHORITIES IN Egypt have launched a wide-ranging investigation following a theatre fire in which 32 people died and 60 others were injured.
The incident happened during a theatre performance at the Culture Palace in Beni Suef, 60 miles south of Cairo, at about 10.45pm on 5 September 2005. It is thought that one of the actors knocked over a candle on the stage, igniting paper material used to decorate the set.
Flames engulfed the stage and spread into the auditorium, causing the 1,000 people in the audience to rush to escape. Officials reported that the building had two emergency exits but one was covered in the same paper as the set and had caught fire, and the other working exit was partially blocked by a piece of wood. The fire was brought under control by attending fire crews.
The investigation will examine the safety measures in place at the theatre and the factors leading to the tragedy. Its findings may prompt changes to the requirements of fire codes.
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