At least 11 people were killed and 19 injured in a devastating fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, the country’s civil defence authorities have said.
The fire broke out at a childcare centre in the Mohammadia district in the east of Algiers at around 3am local time, before dawn on Thursday. On receiving news, firefighters quickly reached the scene and launched a rescue operation.
Firefighters were still working to bring the blaze under control several hours later. The cause of the fire is not yet known. During the operation, rescuers were able to move five special-needs children to safety.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the ages or identities of those killed. Footage aired on state television showed Algeria’s prime minister, Sifi Ghrieb, visiting hospital to check on the injured.
Meanwhile, Algeria, battered by a prolonged heatwave, has seen about 1,000 wildfires break out over the past week, putting already-strained emergency services under further pressure.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report