At least 24 schoolchildren lost their lives in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after a fire engulfed two schools, triggering a deadly stampede as students attempted to escape, according to local officials.
The incident occurred in the Kadutu commune of Bukavu, a densely populated area under the control of M23 rebels since February of last year. While authorities have released a provisional death toll of 24, officials fear the number may climb as rescue operations continue in the smoldering ruins.
In addition to the children, several adults were also reported dead. Approximately 300 houses were destroyed in the blaze, the cause of which remains unknown. Footage from the scene depicts children lying on hospital floors in pain, while witnesses told Reuters that the fire was extinguished by the afternoon, though smoke continued to rise from piles of rubble and corrugated iron.
Survivors have been transported to nearby medical facilities. The rebel-appointed authorities confirmed the casualty figures on Thursday evening, acknowledging the severity of the tragedy in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
In Kinshasa, the national government expressed deep sorrow over the event. The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship issued a statement on social media platform X, affirming solidarity with the victims’ families and ordering assessments of affected schools to ensure the continuity of education for surviving students. The ministry did not specify a national casualty count.
This disaster follows a similar fatal stampede that occurred last weekend at a wedding banquet hall in the capital, Kinshasa, where residents died during an evacuation. In response to that earlier incident, the government had ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.
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