CAIRO: A prominent animal rights activist has died in a fire at her apartment in Cairo after attempting to save her 30 cats, Ahram Online reported.

The 63-year-old Salwa Abou Al-Naga suffocated to death as she tried to rescue the cats she kept in her apartment in Zamalek.

“Abou Al-Naga refused to leave her cats alone in the fire and tried to save as many as she could but unfortunately she died as she was doing so,” Dina Zulfikar, another animals rights activist, told Ahram Online.

Despite the tragedy, some of the cats were saved thanks to animal rights activists who went to the burned down apartment with vets to save the cats. “No less than 15 cats were killed at first, while the other 15 suffered burns and are in critical condition,” Zulfikar said.

Most of Abou Al-Naga’s mousers were street cats she saved.

Initial investigations show children playing fireworks could possibly be the reason behind the fire.