Editorial Team/Staff Writers
At least 24 children have been killed in a stampede triggered by a fire that engulfed two schools in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s rebel-held Bukavu, the BBC reported.
The stampede in the densely populated Kadutu commune also claimed adults, the broadcaster added, citing officials, but it gave no exact number of the dead adults.
Survivors had been taken to nearby hospitals, and footage of the scene showed children lying on hospital floors in pain.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed some 300 houses, had not been established by publication time, according to the BBC.
While rebel‑appointed authorities released a provisional death toll of 24 on Thursday evening, confirming previous reports, there are fears that more people may have died.
Photos circulating on social media show young children lying motionless on the ground.
A witness quoted by Reuters news agency said the fire had been extinguished by afternoon, but smoke was still rising from rubble and corrugated metal.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province and one of DR Congo’s most crowded hillside cities, was captured by M23 rebels in February last year.
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Meanwhile, the government in Kinshasa, the capital of the DR Congo released a statement on X, without specifying numbers of casualties.
“The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed deep sorrow over the deadly fire,” it said.
“With several lives lost and many injured, the toll remains provisional. The minister offered condolences, affirmed solidarity with families, and ordered assessments of affected schools to ensure learning continuity.”
The tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall.
In response, the government has ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.
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