What was meant to be a safe haven for children in Algiers turned into a death trap in the early hours of Thursday, after an air conditioner that had been running nonstop in the summer heat sparked a deadly fire.

Eleven people have died after a fire tore through an orphanage in Algeria's capital, and police say it was caused by an electrical spark from a faulty air conditioning unit.

cbinews.tv reports that, forensic investigators found the unit had been running continuously amid intense summer heat before the blaze broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The civil protection department has not confirmed the ages of those killed or the 19 people injured, but President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a social media post that children were among the dead.

Fire crews battled the flames for at least three hours at the children's care home in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of Algiers.

A carer who worked at the orphanage was also among those who died, according to AFP quoting a police report.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb has since visited survivors at two hospitals, where they are being treated for burns, smoke inhalation and shock. Five children with reduced mobility were rescued safely, officials said.

Algeria is currently in the grip of a brutal summer heatwave, with firefighters also tackling several wildfires across the north of the country.

The news has shocked the nation.

"May God have mercy on them," the civil defence unit said as it announced the death toll on Thursday, several hours after the fire started.

President Tebboune added in a statement: "It is with a heart resigned to the will of God that I learned of the death of children and the injury of others."

But grief is quickly turning to anger, with many demanding answers over possible negligence.

Opposition party Jil Jadid has called for a transparent investigation and legal accountability for any safety failures, plus a nationwide review of fire safety standards at orphanages, care homes, hospitals and schools.

Journalist Akram Kharief described the incident as a "national tragedy" and questioned why Algerians could not live "a normal life in a normal country", calling for fire safety audits at all public institutions.

On social media, many wanted to know who was supervising the children overnight, with some calling for resignations. Le Matin d'Algérie, a site critical of the government, pointed out the absence of the mayor and provincial governor during the initial rescue operation.

Even pro government outlet Algerie Patriotique said the country must establish the truth "without complacency" and determine whether the deaths could have been prevented.

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