Orphanage fire kills 11 in Algeria; dog sparks deadly US blaze

An electrical spark from a faulty air-conditioning unit that had been running continuously in the summer heat triggered a fire that killed 11 people at an orphanage in Algeria’s capital, police said. The blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning at the children’s care home in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of Algiers, where fire crews battled the flames for at least three hours. Among the dead was a carer, according to a police report cited by AFP. Nineteen others were injured, suffering burns, smoke inhalation and shock, and were being treated at two hospitals visited by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb. Algeria’s President Abdelmajid Tebboune said in a statement that children were among the victims: “It is with a heart resigned to the will of God that I learned of the death of children and the injury of others.” The civil protection department did not specify the ages of the dead or injured, but said five children with reduced mobility were safely rescued. News of the fire has caused shock and outrage, with opposition figures, critical media and social media users demanding answers over possible negligence. The opposition Jil Jadid party called for a transparent investigation and legal accountability, as well as a nationwide review of fire safety standards at orphanages, care homes, hospitals and schools. Journalist Akram Kharief described the fire as a “national tragedy”, calling for fire safety audits at all public institutions and questioning why Algerians could not live “a normal life in a normal country”. Comments on social media pages queried who had been supervising the children overnight, and some called for resignations. Pro-government news site Algerie Patriotique said the country should establish the truth “without complacency”. Separately, in Maryland, a dog accidentally sparked a house fire that killed three other pets. Ring camera footage from the home showed the dog, Bo, jumping onto the kitchen counter and inadvertently switching on a toaster, which ignited nearby combustibles. The homeowners were not in the property at the time. Thirty firefighters brought the blaze under control in 20 minutes, though up to $150,000 worth of damage was sustained. Bo and another dog, Addie, were rescued by neighbours, but a third dog, Dakota, and two pet cats died in the 10 July blaze. The two incidents highlight the varied and often tragic ways fires can start, and the critical importance of safety measures.