At least 20 killed in school fire in rebel-held DR Congo city

At least 24 schoolchildren perished in a fire that engulfed two schools in Bukavu, an eastern city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to officials there. Adults also reportedly lost their lives in the inferno, and there are concerns that the death toll could increase further in the densely populated Kadutu commune. Survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals, where images of children suffering on hospital floors have emerged.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, with some 300 houses destroyed in the blaze. While the rebel-appointed authorities released a provisional death toll of 24 on Thursday evening, corroborating earlier reports, there is apprehension that more lives may have been lost. Social media pictures depict young children lying lifeless on the ground as smoke continues to billow from the rubble and corrugated metal.

Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province and one of the most densely populated hillside cities in DR Congo, fell under the control of M23 rebels in February of the previous year. The government in Kinshasa issued a statement on social media platform X, expressing deep sorrow over the deadly fire and offering condolences to the affected families.

The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship affirmed solidarity with the bereaved and pledged to assess the damaged schools to ensure uninterrupted education. The tragedy echoes a similar incident in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents perished in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall. In response, the government has imposed stringent safety measures and dispatched teams across the country to enforce the standards at public gathering places.