A fire at a foster care facility in Algiers, Algeria's capital, has resulted in the deaths of 11 people, with 19 others sustaining injuries, according to the country's civil protection department. Firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze as of Thursday morning local time.
Authorities have not specified the ages of the victims. During the fire, five individuals with special needs were safely evacuated and transported to a secure location.
Algeria has been experiencing a prolonged heatwave, which has coincided with a significant increase in fires across the country. Nearly 1,000 fires have been recorded in the past week, according to AFP news agency.
Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited two hospitals in Algiers to check on those injured in the incident, as reported by Algerian state media.