People gathered outside the orphanage after the fire, new of which has caused shock and outrage

🌐 Here's What Happened

A fire that killed 11 people at an orphanage in Algeria's capital was caused by an electrical spark from a faulty air-conditioning unit, police in the North African country have said.

Amid the summer heat, the air conditioner had been running continuously before the blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to forensic investigators.

The civil protection department has not specified the ages of those killed or the 19 injured, but in a social media post Algeria's President Abdelmajid Tebboune said children were among the dead.

📌 Key Details

The fire service battled the flames at the children's care home in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of Algiers, for at least three hours.

A carer working at the orphanage was amongst those who died, according to the AFP news agency quoting a police report.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb has visited survivors at two hospitals, where they are being treated for burns, smoke inhalation and shock.

Ten fire engines and 16 ambulances deployed to the facility early on Thursday morning

Algeria is experiencing an intense summer heatwave with firefighters also battling several wildfires across the north of the country.

"May God have mercy on them," the civil defence unit said , external as it announced the death toll on Thursday, several hours after the blaze began.

📰 Source: BBC Africa