Algerian orphanage fire claims 11 lives, injures 19

The blaze broke out suddenly at the orphanage near Algiers and quickly spread through the facility.

ALGIERS: A fire at an orphanage near Algeria’s capital killed 11 people, including children, and injured 19 others, authorities said.

According to media reports, the blaze broke out suddenly at the orphanage near Algiers and quickly spread through the facility before emergency responders arrived.

Rescue teams and local residents rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire and evacuate those trapped inside. Authorities said 10 people suffered severe burns, while five people with disabilities were safely rescued from the building.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and an investigation is expected to determine what sparked the blaze.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.