Eleven victims of a devastating orphanage fire on the outskirts of Algiers have been laid to rest in an emotionally charged funeral marked by national mourning and calls for accountability.

The ceremony took place in the Bakari area near the capital, where rows of flag-draped coffins were carried by members of Algeria’s civil defense. Families, neighbors and officials walked behind in silence, broken only by prayers and the cries of grieving relatives.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghreib led a high-level government delegation, standing alongside clerics and community leaders as the victims were buried. His presence underscored the political weight of the tragedy, which has shocked a country already strained by weeks of extreme heat and recurring wildfires.

Authorities have not released the ages of those who died, but President Abdelmadjid Tebboune confirmed that several children were among the victims. Nineteen other people were injured when the blaze tore through the orphanage in the Mohammadia suburb of Algiers during the night, trapping residents inside before rescuers could reach them.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as flames engulfed the building, with neighbors rushing to help firefighters and civil defense teams evacuate the children. Some residents reported hearing explosions, though officials have not confirmed those accounts.

An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fire, with forensic teams and fire experts examining the structure and electrical systems. Prosecutors are also expected to review whether safety regulations were followed and if the orphanage had adequate fire exits, alarms and emergency procedures.

The disaster comes as Algeria endures an intense heatwave that has fueled hundreds of blazes across the country. Civil Protection officials say nearly 1,000 fires were recorded in the space of a week, many in forested and rural areas, stretching emergency services to their limits.

In response, authorities have pledged to reassess safety standards at orphanages, hospitals, retirement homes and other facilities housing vulnerable people. Officials say they are considering stricter inspections, upgraded fire detection systems and contingency plans tailored to periods of extreme heat.

As the last coffins were lowered into the ground in Bakari, religious leaders urged unity and patience, while families demanded that the deaths of their loved ones lead to concrete reforms rather than fading into another statistic of a brutal fire season.