President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria has sent his deepest condolences to the families of 11 people, including young children, who lost their lives in a devastating fire at an orphanage outside the capital.

The fire broke out late on Wednesday night at the two-storey care facility near Algiers, tearing through the ground floor of the building. Emergency services confirmed that another 19 people were injured in the blaze, while rescue teams managed to pull five residents with disabilities to safety.

Algerian former Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui visited the wounded survivors at both the Zeralda Hospital and the Mustapha Pacha hospital, where they are currently being treated for severe burns, smoke inhalation, and shock. Emergency workers remain at the scene, where smoke is still rising from the blackened ruins of the building.

The tragedy comes as the North African nation grapples with a blistering summer heatwave, which has triggered multiple fires across its northern regions.

–ChannelAfrica–