MOHAMMADIA — A fire at the Childhood Relief Institution orphanage in Mohammadia killed 11 people, including children, and injured 19 others. The blaze broke out at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time on Thursday at the two-story state-run facility located in the Mohammadia suburb of Algiers.

Rescue teams responded swiftly, evacuating five children with reduced mobility to safety. Firefighters used a chainsaw to remove metal bars from a window to access parts of the building. First responders treated 10 individuals for burns, two for severe respiratory distress from smoke inhalation, and seven for severe psychological shock. The Algerian Civil Protection mobilized 10 fire trucks and 16 ambulances to combat the fire, according to a local Algerian source.

Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors at medical facilities in Algiers later that day. “On behalf of the president and the members of the government, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the families of the victims,” Ghrieb said. His visit followed expressions of grief from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who was on an official visit to Berlin when he learned of the incident. Tebboune issued a statement saying, “It is with a heart resigned to the will of Allah that I learned of the death of children and the injuries suffered by other children of Algeria following the fire that broke out in a childcare institution.”

Rachid Belhadj, Head of the forensic medicine department at Mustapha Bacha Hospital, said some of the bodies were completely burned and required DNA tests for identification. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation. The tragedy occurred on Algeria’s National Children’s Day, adding symbolic weight to the loss.

The orphanage fire unfolded amid a severe heatwave that has strained emergency services across Algeria. Between July 8 and July 15, the country recorded 932 fires, prompting the civil defense to deploy over 19,000 personnel, 700 trucks, six helicopters, and 12 water-bombing aircraft to fight blazes nationwide, according to state media. The scale of the emergency response underscores the heightened fire risks during extreme heat and raises questions about safety infrastructure in public institutions housing vulnerable populations.

The deaths of children in state care on a day dedicated to their well-being has intensified public scrutiny of institutional safeguards. With an official investigation now underway, the government faces pressure to determine how the fire started and whether preventive measures or emergency protocols failed. Survivors remain under medical and psychological care as authorities work to identify all victims and support grieving families.