At least 24 schoolchildren are feared to have died in a stampede while fleeing a fire that engulfed two schools in Bukavu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. A senior official stated that adults are also reported to have died in the incident, and there are concerns the death toll could increase in the densely populated Kadutu commune.
Survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals, with footage showing children on hospital floors. The fire also destroyed around 300 houses, though its cause remains unknown. Smoke was still rising from the rubble after the fire was extinguished.
Rebel-appointed authorities in Bukavu, which was captured by M23 rebels in February last year, are assessing the situation and plan to release a provisional death toll. The government in Kinshasa expressed deep sorrow and ordered assessments of affected schools to ensure learning continuity, without specifying casualty numbers.
This tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede. In response, the government has ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.