In brief
A sudden fire swept through two schools in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving at least 24 children feared dead and several adults perishing in a stampede. Surviving victims were rushed to nearby hospitals, where footage shows injured children awaiting treatment. The blaze also razed around 300 houses and left smouldering ruins; the cause remains unclear. Local authorities have pledged to release a provisional death toll later that evening, while the Kinshasa government urged national safety measures in public venues. The tragedy echoes a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, prompting stricter enforcement of safety standards.
At least twenty‑four schoolchildren are feared dead after a fire engulfed two schools in Bukavu, a rebel‑held city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, says a senior official in the area.
The fire triggered a panic that turned into a stampede. Several adults also lost their lives, and the death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams work to find survivors.
Local hospitals now treat wounded children and adults. A video released by Reuters shows students lying on raised beds, their faces marked by smoke and burns.
The blaze destroyed about three hundred houses and left smouldering ruins; investigators have not yet pinpointed the cause.
Bukavu, captured by the M23 rebels in February last year, has been struck again by this tragedy. Rebel‑appointed officials will announce a provisional death toll by the end of the day, while Kinshasa has issued a statement of sorrow and offered support to affected families.
The incident follows a similar fire at a banquet hall in Kinshasa earlier this month, where a stampede killed residents. In response, the government has imposed stricter safety measures across public venues nationwide.
© Reuters. For more coverage of Africa, visit BBCAfrica.com.
