Firefighters, police and forensic teams secured the site while grieving families gathered outside the damaged building.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited survivors in hospital and expressed the government’s condolences, saying medical teams had been instructed to provide the best possible care for those injured. The cause of the blaze has not yet been announced.

The tragedy unfolded as Algeria continued to experience an intense heatwave that has increased the risk of fires across the country. Civil protection authorities reported nearly 1,000 fires over the previous week, placing emergency services under heavy pressure. Images from the orphanage showed soot-blackened windows, damaged walls and firefighters carrying out final inspections after the flames were extinguished.

Authorities have opened an investigation to establish how the fire started and whether additional safety measures will be required to protect vulnerable facilities during periods of extreme heat.