In brief
A sudden fire sparked by a faulty air‑conditioner broke out in the early hours of Thursday at a children's orphanage in Mohammadia, a suburb of Algiers. Eleven people, many of them children, lost their lives while 19 others were treated for burns, smoke inhalation and shock. Al‑Jazeera‑Civil Defense, police and the President announced the death toll on the same day, and the Prime Minister has visited hospitals to see survivors. The incident sparked outrage across social media and led opposition parties to demand a transparent investigation and a nationwide review of fire safety standards for care homes, schools and hospitals. The incident underscores the urgent need for stricter safety protocols amid the country's intense summer heatwave.
A sudden fire sparked by a faulty air‑conditioner broke out in the early hours of Thursday at a children’s orphanage in Mohammadia, a suburb of Algiers. The blaze was caused by an electrical spark from a malfunctioning unit that had been running continuously to combat the heatwave.
Police confirmed that eleven people died in the blaze, many of them children, while 19 others were injured, suffering burns, smoke inhalation and shock. The fireservice fought the flames for at least three hours before they were brought under control.
Algeria’s President Abdelmajid Tebboune issued a statement expressing sorrow for the loss of children, and Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited hospitals to meet survivors. The civil defence unit announced the death toll hours after the incident, calling “May God have mercy on them.”
The incident has ignited widespread outrage on social media and among opposition parties, who demand a thorough investigation into possible negligence. Calls for a nationwide review of fire safety standards at orphanages, care homes, hospitals and schools have been voiced by the Jil Jadid party and other political groups.
An investigation into the circumstances of the fire is underway, with forensic analysts identifying the spark from the air‑conditioner as the trigger. The event highlights the critical need for regular safety audits in public institutions, especially amid Algeria’s intense summer heatwave and ongoing wildfires across the north.
