Algerian orphanage blaze kills 11, blamed on faulty air‑conditioning unit
A fire that erupted in the early hours of Thursday morning at a children’s care home in an eastern suburb of Algiers has taken 11 lives and left 19 others injured, police said. Forensics linked the blaze to an electrical spark from a malfunctioning air‑conditioning unit that had been running nonstop in the heatwave.
Algeria’s President Abdelmajid Tebboune confirmed that several of the victims were children, and the civil defence unit released a death toll after several hours of firefighting. Authorities have not yet specified the ages of the deceased or the magnitude of injuries.
Firefighters battled the flames for at least three hours, deploying ten engines and 16 ambulances to the scene. A caregiver working at the orphanage was among those who died, a police report quoted AFP.
Premier Sifi Ghrieb visited two hospitals where survivors are being treated for burns, smoke inhalation, and shock. Opposition parties and civil‑society groups are demanding a thorough investigation into possible negligence and a nationwide review of fire safety standards in public institutions.
“This is a national tragedy,” journalist Akram Kharief said, calling for a fire‑safety audit of all public facilities. The incident has sparked calls for resignations of officials who were absent during the initial rescue operation.
