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At least 38 people were injured after a huge fire broke out at the Ismailia Security Directorate in the Egyptian city of Ismailia early Monday, according to local media.

While the cause of the fire is yet to be established, much of the multi-storey building was left charred after fire fighters brought the blaze under control.

Footage shared on social media showed the huge fire consuming the building, with a huge cloud of smoke rising into the skies.

Of the 26 people who were transferred to a local hospital for treatment, 24 had suffered from “asphyxiation” and two from burns, the health ministry reported. Twelve more were treated at the scene.

It remains unclear how many police officers were inside the building at the time the fire erupted.

Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik ordered an investigation into the causes of the fire, as well as a structural safety review for the building, his ministry said in a statement.