Eleven children have been killed in a fire at an Algerian orphanage, according to authorities.

The country's civil defence said on Thursday morning that emergency services were still working to extinguish the blaze, which broke out at around 3.30am at a childcare facility in the Mohammadia suburb of the capital, Algiers.

It added that a further 19 people were injured, with 10 suffering burns, two experiencing breathing difficulties and seven individuals in a state of psychological shock.

The victims' ages and the cause of the fire have not been disclosed.

Algeria's President ‌Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a social media post that he had received news "of the deaths of ‌children and the injuries of others following a fire that broke out at a children's care facility".

Images shared by authorities show plumes of smoke coming from the windows of the building and firefighters at the scene.

Five children with reduced mobility were safely evacuated by rescue teams, authorities said.

Algeria has been gripped by a heatwave in recent days, with civil protection units fighting 913 fires nationwide since 8 July, state news agency APS reported on Wednesday.

(c) Sky News 2026: Eleven children killed as fire breaks out at Algerian orphanage