Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed sympathy with victims of the train crash in Cairo, Egypt which resulted in the death of 24 people and injuring of 50 others.

Iran PressAfrica: Bahram Ghassemi extended condolences to the bereaved families of the victims of the deadly incident.

He added, Tehran sympathizes with victims of the Cairo train crash, Iran Press reported.

At least 24 people were killed and 50 others were injured when a locomotive smashed through the buffers at the main train station in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Wednesday, the health minister said.

Transport Minister Hisham Arafat resigned after the incident, the cabinet said in a statement. State television said authorities had arrested the train driver.

Footage circulating on social media from a security camera inside the Ramses station showed the train failing to stop as it arrived at platform six, smashing through the buffers and a metal end railing and exploding into a huge ball of fire.

Passengers carrying luggage ran for their lives as the fire spread, and several people were running covered in flames, witnesses said.

The health minister, Hala Zayed, said authorities had not been able to identify many of the 20 bodies recovered because they were too badly burned.

Security sources said there was no indication that the crash was deliberate. The transport minister said the train's diesel tank had exploded.

Egypt has one of the oldest and largest rail networks in the region and accidents causing casualties are common. A train collision in Alexandria killed more than 40 people in 2017.

Egyptians have long complained that successive governments have failed to enforce basic safety standards for the railways.

The fire sent smoke billowing above the station. Inside, the train's charred engine could be seen tilted to one side next to a platform. 101/202

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