Eleven Dead in Fire at a Children's Home in Algiers – Cause Still Unclear

Major operation in the early morning hours

The fire had broken out in the early morning in a suburb of the capital Algiers. Hours later, emergency services were still on the scene. Injured victims had to be taken to a specialist clinic for burn injuries in Zeralda as well as to the Mustapha Bacha Hospital in the capital.

Algeria's Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited the injured at a clinic specializing in burns in Zeralda, a suburb of Algiers, and at the Mustapha Bacha Hospital in the capital, as seen on Algerian television.

Reaction of the Algerian government

President Tebboune spoke of a tragedy during his state visit to Berlin. He expressed regret that several children were among the dead. The Algerian news agency APS broadcast the president's statement.

According to Rachid Belhadj, head of forensic medicine at Mustapha Bacha Hospital, some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition. DNA samples would now be needed for their identification, a process that would take several days.

Forensic investigations underway

An eyewitness reported that firefighters had to use a chainsaw to remove a metal grille in front of a window. The 41-year-old neighbor Abdessalam Merrah said that, apart from the firefighters, he also heard the "Schreie der Kinder" at that time.

The cause of the fire at the children's home was initially unclear. The Algerian news agency APS reported that between July 8 and 15, a total of 932 fires had broken out in various regions of Algeria. By Wednesday morning, 913 of them had been extinguished, according to Algeria's civil protection authority. The country is experiencing a heat wave with numerous forest fires.

Heat wave and nationwide fires

In northern Algeria as well, there was one death connected to the firefighting efforts during the same week: a 59-year-old municipal employee died while supporting the firefighters in battling the blaze. Southern Europe has also been suffering from a heat wave for days.

Several children were among the victims according to President Tebboune. Tebboune put the death toll at eleven and said that "mehrere Kinder" were among the dead. The exact number of child victims was not initially specified by the authorities.

The Algerian civil protection authority published the preliminary toll of victims on Thursday. The injured continued to receive medical treatment, and the search for possible additional victims was ongoing. Hours later, emergency services were still on the scene.

Witness accounts and rescue operation

The incident occurred in a suburb of the Algerian capital, where, according to civil protection, several people had been inside the building. Eyewitnesses such as Abdessalam Merrah reported that they had heard screams and cries for help while the rescue teams tried to reach those trapped inside.

The authorities announced that they would continue the investigations into the cause of the fire. Until the completion of the forensic examinations, which according to Rachid Belhadj will take several days, the cause of the fire remained open. The identification of all victims has also not yet been completed.

Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his condolences while in Berlin. The exact course of the visit program in Germany and the reaction of the Algerian delegation to the news from home were initially unknown.

Investigations into the cause of the fire

The suburb of Mohammadia is one of the densely populated outer districts of the Algerian capital. The region has been affected for days by extreme heat and an extraordinary series of fires. The total number of fires registered in Algeria since July 8 was 932, according to the authorities.

This news was broadcast on 16.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. The news agency APA also distributed the report with the note "(APA, red, 16.7.2026)".

The Algerian government thus faces the dual challenge of containing the acute series of fires across the country and dealing with the aftermath of the incident in Mohammadia. While firefighting efforts continued in several regions, investigations into the devastating fire at the children's home were underway in Algiers.