In brief
A fire at a foster care home in Algiers, Algeria, claimed the lives of eleven residents and left nineteen others injured. Firefighters were still battling the blaze on Thursday morning, coinciding with a severe heatwave that has sparked nearly a thousand fires across the country. Authorities noted that five children with special needs were moved to safety, while the Prime Minister visited hospitals in the aftermath. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about fire safety in care facilities amid rapid temperature rises and widespread burn incidents.
Eleven people die in fire at Algerian foster care home
Eleven people lost their lives when a blaze broke out at a foster care facility in Algiers on Thursday morning.
The fire, which erupted amid a severe heatwave, left nineteen others injured. Firefighters were still fighting the blaze at 06:50 local time (05:50 GMT) and have been attempting to extinguish it for several hours.
According to the civil protection department, five children with special needs were taken into care and transported to a safe location. The department also reported that the ages of those killed or injured were not specified.
Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited two hospitals in Algiers to see the wounded in the days following the incident, and a photograph showed him next to a child in a hospital bed, underscoring the government's response.
The incident occurs amid nearly 1,000 fires recorded in Algeria over the past week, reflecting the dangerous heat conditions and widespread fire risk across the country.
