DR Congo school fire followed by stampede kills 26
The morning blaze in the city of Bukavu triggered a desperate stampede as students struggled to escape from their classrooms.
On a tragic Thursday in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a school fire and ensuing stampede claimed the lives of at least 26 children. The fire erupted at around 9am during class, leading to a chaotic rush by students trying to escape the inferno. Unicef reported that an additional 25 children were injured in the disaster.
The city, located on the shores of Lake Kivu, has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group since February 2025, following their aggressive efforts to claim control over mineral-rich eastern DRC. M23 declared a three-day mourning period in response to the devastating tragedy, and funeral services for the victims are scheduled for Saturday.
Bukavu, known for its wooden houses constructed on hilly terrain, frequently experiences devastating fires due to inadequate firefighting resources and poor building practices. Last week, a separate fire at a wedding in Kinshasa claimed the lives of 12 people, while another blaze in October took the lives of 14 individuals, mostly children, in Bukavu.
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- DR Congo school fire followed by stampede kills 26 freemalaysiatoday.com
