Algiers, Algeria: A fire broke out Tuesday at a camp for African migrants in Algeria, killing 18 people and injuring another 43, emergency services said.

The blaze began before dawn at the camp housing about 600 migrants in Ouargla, 800 kilometres (500 miles) southeast of Algiers. 

The cause and the victims' nationalities were not immediately known.

‘The fire broke out at 3:00 am (0200 GMT), killing 18 people and wounding 43,’ Colonel Farouk Achour said over telephone.

The emergency services rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by the migrants' efforts to keep warm following a cold snap in recent days.

The authorities have opened an investigation.

Since Libya descended into chaos in its 2011 uprising, Algeria has become a top North African destination for sub-Saharans seeking a better life.