A fire at a children’s care home in Mohammadia, a suburb of Algiers, killed 11 people and injured 19 residents on Thursday morning.
Forensic investigators report the blaze began with an electrical spark from a faulty air‑conditioning unit that had been running continuously all night amid an intense heatwave.
President Abdelmajid Tebboune pledged, “It is with a heart resigned to the will of God that I learned of the death of children and the injury of others.”
Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors in two hospitals, where they are treated for burns, smoke inhalation and shock.
The incident has triggered calls from opposition parties, critical media and social‑media users for a transparent investigation, legal accountability for possible negligence, and a nationwide review of fire‑safety standards at orphanages, schools and hospitals.
Human rights journalist Akram Kharief described the tragedy as “a national tragedy” and urged fire‑safety audits across all public institutions, questioning why Algerians cannot live “a normal life in a normal country.”
Critics noted the absence of the mayor and provincial governor during the initial rescue operation, while the pro‑government news site Algerie Patriotique called for “truth without complacency” to assess whether the deaths could have been prevented.
In the hotter months, firefighters are also battling multiple wildfires across northern Algeria, adding to the country’s emergency response challenges.
