Key facts
- At least 26 children died in a fire at two schools in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The fire also destroyed approximately 300 houses in the densely populated Kadutu commune.
- Vice governor of South Kivu province Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge reported 19 girls and five boys died.
- The M23 rebel alliance controls Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
- The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.
At least 26 schoolchildren are feared dead in a stampede as they tried to flee a fire that engulfed two schools in rebel-held Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior official said. The fire, which also destroyed approximately 300 houses, occurred in the densely populated Kadutu commune. Survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals.
Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge, vice governor of South Kivu province, reported that 19 girls and five boys died in the blaze. Initial reports from medical sources indicated at least 17 fatalities, including children. Corneille Nangaa, coordinator for the M23 rebel alliance which controls Bukavu, estimated the death toll to be around 10.
The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation. The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship in Kinshasa expressed sorrow over the incident, stating the toll remains provisional and ordered assessments of affected schools. The tragedy follows a similar deadly fire and stampede at a wedding banquet hall in Kinshasa last weekend, prompting the government to order strict safety measures nationwide.