A deadly blaze at a children’s orphanage in Algiers, Algeria, was caused by an electrical spark from a faulty air‑conditioning unit, police said. The unit had run continuously to beat the summer heat, and in the early hours of Thursday morning, it ignited the building, killing 11 people—most of whom were children.
Firefighters laboured to control the flames for at least three hours, with ten fire engines and sixteen ambulances dispatched to the scene. The civil protection department confirmed 19 injuries, though ages were not specified, and a carer at the orphanage was among those who died.
President Abdelmajid Tebboune’s social media post confirmed that children were among the casualties. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors in hospitals, where burn victims receive treatment for smoke inhalation and shock.
The incident has sparked widespread shock and anger. Opposition groups and media outlets have demanded a transparent investigation and heightened fire‑safety reviews for orphanages, care homes, hospitals, and schools in Algeria.
As Algeria grapples with an intense heatwave and wildfires across the north, this tragedy underscores the urgent need for improved safety standards and oversight in public institutions caring for vulnerable children.
