Faulty Air‑Conditioner Sparks Deadly Fire at Algiers Orphanage

A blaze that engulfed a children’s care home in the eastern suburb of Mohammadia, Algiers, was traced back to an electrical spark from a faulty air‑conditioning unit that had been running continuously during a heatwave.

The fire raged for at least three hours, and police reports confirm that 11 people, including children and a caretaker, lost their lives, while 19 others suffered burns, smoke inhalation and shock.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb has visited survivors in two hospitals, and President Abdelmajid Tebboune said “It is with a heart resigned to the will of God” that he learned of the children’s deaths.

The incident has prompted opposition parties and civil society groups to demand a transparent investigation into alleged negligence and a nationwide review of fire safety standards in orphanages, care homes, hospitals and schools.

Journalists across Algeria have described the fire as a national tragedy, calling for regular safety audits of public institutions and questioning the country’s ability to provide a “normal life in a normal country.”