In brief
A 12‑hour summer heatwave in Algiers turned deadly when an air‑conditioning unit inside a children’s orphanage exploded, sending flames over the building and claiming 11 lives. Reports say the unit had been running non‑stop before the fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday. Among the deceased was a caretaker, and among the injured are 19, many with smoke inhalation and burns. President Tebboune and Prime Minister Ghrieb visited survivors, and the country’s civil defence issued statements, while opposition parties demanded an inquiry and a nationwide review of fire safety in care homes. Social media users and media outlets have called for accountability and questioned why such negligence could occur in a country where citizens should live a normal life.
In the early morning of Thursday, a light‑flooding blaze erupted inside the children’s care home in the eastern suburb of Mohammadia, Algiers. The fire was traced back to a faulty air‑conditioning unit that had been running nonstop throughout the scorching summer heat. Firesmen battled the flames for at least three hours before control was achieved.
A forensic probe confirms the electrical spark as the ignition source. Police reports cite 11 deaths, including children, and 19 injuries. A caretaker was among those lost, according to AFP. The civil protection department has not yet released age details but confirms that children were among the victims.
Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited the survivors dislocated in two hospitals where they receive treatment for burns, smoke inhalation and shock. President Abdelmajid Tebboune delivered a heartfelt statement: “It is with a heart resigned to the will of God that I learned of the death of children and the injury of others.”
The tragedy has sparked outrage across the nation. Social media users and opposition parties, such as the Jil Jadid party, urgently call for a transparent investigation and legal accountability for any negligence. They demand a nationwide review of fire safety protocols in orphanages, care homes, schools and hospitals. Journalists are urging authorities to conduct safety audits at all public institutions, questioning why such a disaster could befall citizens who expect normal, secure living conditions.
Local accounts from rescue workers note that ten fire engines and 16 ambulances were deployed early on Thursday, and that the mayor and provincial governor’s absence during the initial rescue operation was a point of contention mentioned by Le Matin d’Algérie, a critical news website.
Officials and civil defence have pledged an investigation “without complacency,” aiming to identify any preventable failures that led to the deadly blaze.
