Fire at Algeria Orphanage Kills at Least 11, Injures 19

At least 11 people were killed and 19 others injured in a fire that broke out at an orphanage in the Mohammadia district on the outskirts of the Algerian capital early Thursday, the country's Civil Protection authority said.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Authority said 19 people were treated and transported to hospital following the blaze, including 10 who sustained burns of varying severity, two people who suffered breathing difficulties, and seven others treated for psychological shock. Rescue teams also evacuated five people with disabilities from the facility to a safe location as emergency operations unfolded.

Civil Protection officials described the toll as provisional, noting that firefighting and search operations remained ongoing at the scene, pending a final casualty count and the results of an official investigation into the cause of the fire. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities or ages of those killed.

National television footage showed Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visiting some of the wounded in hospital following the incident, underscoring the level of concern the tragedy has drawn at the highest levels of government.

The fire comes as Algeria continues to grapple with a severe heatwave that has swept the country in recent days. According to the state news agency APS, citing the General Directorate of Civil Protection, emergency crews have extinguished 913 fires nationwide since July 8 alone, as scorching temperatures have fueled a sharp rise in blazes across the country. While authorities have not confirmed a direct link between the heatwave and the orphanage fire, the timing has heightened scrutiny of fire safety conditions at public and residential facilities amid the extreme weather.

Algeria has faced criticism in the past over safety standards at care facilities housing vulnerable populations, and Thursday's tragedy is likely to renew calls for stronger oversight of orphanages and similar institutions. Civil Protection teams remain on site as the search and firefighting operations continue, with officials expected to release further details once the investigation concludes.

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