11 killed, 19 injured in fire at orphanage in Algeria

Image caption, Algerian civil protection personnel during attempts to extinguish the fire

Published 12 minutes ago

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At least 11 people died and 19 others were injured in a fire that broke out in an orphanage in the municipality of El Mohammedia, east of the capital Algiers, according to the Algerian Civil Protection.

The Civil Protection said its teams intervened around 3:30 a.m. to extinguish the fire that broke out at the 'Child Assistance Institution', noting that the injured were treated and taken to hospitals. The authorities did not release the ages or identities of the victims.

Algerian Prime Minister Saifi Gharib visited the injured at the Major Burns Hospital in Zeralda and Mustapha Pasha Hospital in the capital, according to official Algerian television.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the authorities have not yet released information about where the fire started or the extent of damage to the building.

Image caption, Algerian civil protection personnel during fire extinguishing

The incident comes as Algeria is experiencing a heatwave and a significant increase in the number of fires. The General Directorate of Civil Protection said it extinguished 913 fires across the country between July 8 and 15, including forest fires, brush fires, agricultural crops, and urban areas.

The authorities have not announced a link between the heatwave and the fire at the El Mohammedia institution, and the investigation is ongoing to determine its causes.

The Algerian authorities use the term 'Child Assistance Institutions' to refer to specialized homes that receive, shelter, and educate children deprived of family care.

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The Algerian legal framework stipulates that the state shall protect children deprived of families through institutions aimed at providing necessary care.

No official information has yet been available on the capacity of the El Mohammedia institution or the number of children and staff present at the time of the fire.

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