At least 11 dead in Algiers orphanage fire

A fire tore through an orphanage on the outskirts of Algiers early Thursday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 19 others, Algerian civil defence officials said.

The blaze broke out before dawn, with emergency crews responding around 3 a.m. local time. It struck the Fondation de l'Enfance Assistée, a children's care facility in Mohammadia, a district east of the Algerian capital.

Firefighters were still working to bring the flames under control hours later. Officials have not yet said what caused the fire.

Rescue teams managed to evacuate five children with special needs to safety as the operation continued.

Authorities have not released the ages of those killed.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors in hospital, footage on state television showed.

The tragedy comes as Algeria battles a prolonged heatwave. Nearly 1,000 wildfires have broken out across the country in just the past week, straining emergency services already stretched thin.