Heba Habib and Reuters contributed to this report.

Fires in residential care facilities have raised concerns about safety standards in Algeria, where such incidents occasionally occur due to electrical faults or other hazards.

Published On 16 Jul 202616 Jul 2026

A fire at a child welfare facility in Mohammadia, east of Algiers, has killed 11 people, including children, and injured 19, according to emergency services and local media reports.

The state Civil Protection agency said the blaze broke out at approximately 3:30am local time (02:30 GMT) on Thursday inside the Childhood Relief Institution. The state-run institution operates as a residential care centre and sanctuary, providing shelter, medical care, and social support to orphans, abandoned minors, and children with special needs.

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First responders treated 10 people for varying burn severities and two for serious breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation, a Civil Protection statement said. Seven others were treated for acute psychological shock. Teams evacuated five residents with special needs to a secure area.

Bystander video footage shared online showed dozens of residents gathered at the scene to follow rescue efforts. Official images released by the Civil Protection showed emergency responders working amid heavy smoke to contain the fire in the corridors of the building and evacuate residents.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune offered condolences in a social media post, saying he had received ⁠news “of the deaths of children and ⁠the injuries of others”.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited Algiers' Mustapha Pacha University Hospital to check on the injured and oversee their medical care, according to Algerian newspaper Algerie Patriotique.

Firefighting and search operations have concluded, and security and judicial authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, local media reported.

The tragedy has prompted an investigation by security and judicial authorities to determine the fire's cause. Algeria has experienced several deadly fires in public buildings in recent years, highlighting ongoing challenges in fire prevention and emergency response. The outcome of the investigation may lead to stricter safety regulations for care facilities.