Eleven people died and 19 were injured in an overnight fire at a foster care home in Algiers, Algeria’s civil protection department said Thursday.
Firefighters were still working to put out the blaze at 06:50 local time, about 05:50 GMT. Authorities have not released the ages of the victims.
During the response, five residents with special needs were moved out and taken to a safe location, according to the department’s statement.
The fire comes during a days-long heatwave in Algeria. State news agency AFP reported nearly 1,000 fires have been recorded across the country in the past week.
Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited two hospitals in Algiers where some of the injured were being treated. State media published a photo of Ghrieb sitting beside a child in a hospital bed.
