Fire at orphanage in Algiers suburb leaves 11 dead

A fire broke out at a children's welfare institution in the Mohammadia commune of Algiers in the early hours of July 16, 2026. Civil protection services reported at least 11 deaths and 19 injuries as a result of the incident. Rescue operations began around 3:00 a.m., and efforts to extinguish the fire continued throughout the day. Authorities have not yet identified the ages of the victims or confirmed whether children are among the deceased. The incident occurs as Algeria faces an intense heatwave, having recorded nearly one thousand wildfires across the country in the past week. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited the injured at the Zeralda and Mustapha Pacha hospitals. An investigation into the exact cause of the fire is currently underway. The government maintains that the provided casualty figures are provisional.