A major fire erupted on Friday at a rice straw storage facility in the village of Al-Karaket, part of Biyala Center in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky and prompting immediate action from civil defense and firefighting teams.

Six fire engines were dispatched to the scene, where crews worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames, successfully preventing the fire from spreading to nearby farmland and residential areas. Large quantities of stored rice straw, however, were destroyed by the blaze.

Major General Ihab Attia, Director of Kafr El-Sheikh Security, arrived at the scene with several senior officers to oversee firefighting operations and follow up on the situation.

Criminal investigation teams and public security officers have begun probing the incident to determine the cause of the fire and whether any criminal suspicion is involved. Loss assessments are currently underway to evaluate the extent of the damage.