Police in Algeria have said that a fire which killed 11 people at a children's orphanage in Algiers was caused by an electrical spark from a faulty air-conditioning unit that had been running continuously during the summer heat. The blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning at the care home in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of the capital, and has caused widespread shock and outrage, with opposition figures and members of the public demanding a transparent investigation into possible negligence.

Forensic investigators identified the air conditioner as the source of the fire, which firefighters battled for at least three hours using ten fire engines and 16 ambulances. Among the 11 dead was a carer working at the orphanage, while 19 people were injured and are being treated for burns, smoke inhalation and shock; five children with reduced mobility were rescued safely. President Abdelmajid Tebboune confirmed children were among the victims, and Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors in hospital, while critics questioned overnight supervision and the absence of local officials during the initial rescue.