A fire erupted at an orphanage in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of Algeria's capital Algiers, on July 16 at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time, killing 11 people and injuring 19, authorities reported [1, 2, 3].
The injured include 10 victims with burns of varying severity, two suffering breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation, and seven treated for psychological shock [2, 4]. Five residents with special needs or disabilities were safely evacuated during the blaze [1, 4].
Among the casualties was a carer working at the facility, according to an official police report [2].
While one source indicated the fire was triggered by an electrical spark from a faulty air conditioning unit that had been running continuously, other reports stated the cause was not officially confirmed at the time of reporting [2, 1, 3]. Authorities launched security and judicial investigations to determine the exact cause [4].
Algeria has been experiencing an intense heatwave since early July, with nearly 1,000 fires recorded nationally since July 8, increasing strain on emergency services [1, 3].
Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited hospitals in Algiers to see the injured children and survivors of the fire [1, 2]. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed condolences, stating, "It is with a heart resigned to the will of God that I learned of the death of children and the injury of others" and praying for mercy on the victims, as quoted by the civil defense unit [2].
Opposition parties and civil society voices have called for fire safety audits and legal accountability following the tragedy [2]. The firefighting effort continued for several hours after the fire broke out, officials confirmed [1, 3, 5].
