Fire at Algiers orphanage kills at least 11, injures 19 as heatwave fuels blazes across Algeria

A fire that broke out in the early hours of Thursday at an orphanage on the outskirts of Algiers has killed at least 11 people and injured 19 others, according to Algerian civil protection services. The blaze at the Foundation for Assisted Children, located in the municipality of Mohammadia, was still being fought by emergency crews at the time of the latest reports. Authorities have described the death toll as provisional.

What happened

The fire started around 03:30 local time during the night of Wednesday 15 July to Thursday 16 July. Civil protection services issued a statement confirming they were continuing operations to extinguish the fire. The cause of the blaze remains unknown. The foundation provides medical care and assistance to low-income families.

The provisional toll of human losses is 11 deaths.

Casualties and injuries

Of the 19 people injured, ten suffered severe burns, two were treated for respiratory problems, and seven presented mild injuries and anxiety crises, according to the civil protection report. Five people with special needs, whose condition was not detailed by authorities, were evacuated to a safe location where they remain under medical evaluation. The age of the victims has not been specified by officials, though one report noted that several of the dead were minors.

Official response

State television showed Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visiting the wounded who remain hospitalised. The civil protection service stressed that the toll is preliminary, as emergency teams were still working to control and extinguish the fire.

Heatwave context

Algeria has been experiencing an intense heatwave for several days. Authorities have recorded nearly 1,000 fires in different parts of the country over the past week. No direct link between the heatwave and the orphanage fire has been established by officials, and the cause of the Mohammadia blaze is still under investigation.