Egypt’s Interior Ministry says 3 killed in Giza blast

Authorities say explosion appeared to be caused by gas leak, ‘coincidentally’ as senior judge passed nearby

By AP 28 December 2015, 1:01 am Edit

File: An Egyptian woman walks past the entrance of a polling center being guarded by army and police forces before polls open during the first round of the parliamentary election in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015. (AP/Nariman El-Mofty)

CAIRO, Egypt — Egypt’s government says an explosion in Cairo’s twin city of Giza killed three people, including a senior judge, and injured 11.

An Interior Ministry statement said the blast on Sunday in Giza’s Faisal neighborhood was apparently the result of a gas leak and dismissed the possibility of an intentional attack.

The ministry, which is in charge of the police, says the judge was “coincidentally” passing by the building where the explosion occurred.

Attacks by militants targeting police, military and judicial officials have been on the rise ever since the military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and cracked down on his supporters in 2013.

Authorities say an investigation into the blast to confirm the preliminary findings of a gas leak is under way.