Eight newborn killed in fire in an Algerian maternity unit

Eight babies were killed when a fire ripped through the maternity unit at a hospital in eastern Algeria before dawn on Tuesday, emergency services said.

The fire broke out at 3:50 a.m. local time (0250 GMT) in a hospital in the city of El Oued Souf, 500 kilometers southeast of Algeria’s capital city of Algiers, reports said.

“We managed to rescue 11 babies, 107 women and 28 staff”.

“Unfortunately we regret the deaths of eight babies, some from burns and others from smoke inhalation.

A report on ENTV (Algeria) said the prime minister ordered an investigation and the health minister is heading to the hospital later Tuesday.

Via AFP / Xinhua /ENTV 

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