At least 11 children have tragically lost their lives, and 19 others have sustained injuries in a fire that erupted at a children’s care home in Algeria.
The devastating incident occurred at approximately 3:30 am today at an orphanage located in the Mohammadia district of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. Reports have confirmed that all 11 individuals who perished were children.
Algeria’s president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has stated that “several children” were among the deceased. Ten individuals have suffered burns of varying degrees, while five individuals with special needs were safely evacuated from the facility in the North African nation.
According to the General Directorate of Civil Protection in Algeria, two individuals experienced respiratory distress, and seven others were in a state of shock. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
A statement released mentioned that following the outbreak of the fire at the Dar Al-Aytam Orphanage in the Mohammadia municipality, El Harrach district, the Civil Protection services promptly intervened at 3:32 am to extinguish the flames. The firefighting efforts involved the deployment of ten fire trucks, 16 ambulances, two ladder trucks, and the GRIMP (Ground Rock Intervention Unit).
Images captured at the scene depict thick smoke emanating from the building as firefighting teams worked relentlessly to combat the blaze.
Algeria has been grappling with a severe heatwave in recent days, with more than 900 fires reportedly extinguished across the country since July 8.
