Seven dead in fire at Algeria beach resort

Algiers: Seven people died when a deliberately lit fire tore through a tourism complex at a beach resort on the outskirts of the Algerian capital today, the civil defence service said.

The blaze erupted around 2:30 AM (0130 GMT) at a bungalow in the Azur complex in Zeralda, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) west of Algiers, official news agency APS quoted the civil defence service as saying.

A police official later told state television that the fire was of criminal origin, and that three suspects were identified and being sought. All of the seven people killed were Algerians, who were between 25 and 35 years old and included two women.

They all died of asphyxiation. One person was also injured, but their life was not in danger.