A fire burning at an orphanage in a suburb of the Algerian capital has killed at least 11 people and injured 19, the country’s civil defence said Thursday.

The civil defence was “continuing efforts to put out the fire” in the Mohammadia district of Algiers, with the cause of the blaze unknown.

“The provisional toll is 11 dead,” it said, without specifying the age of the victims.

National television showed Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visiting the wounded in hospital.

Algeria has been sweltering under a heatwave for several days, and nearly 1,000 fires have been recorded in the space of a week.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)