At least 24 children died in a stampede during a fire that engulfed two schools in the Kadutu district of Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said. The fire, which also engulfed about 300 nearby homes, broke out in a densely populated hilly area of the South Kivu provincial capital, now controlled by M23 rebels.
Local authorities appointed by the rebels put the initial death toll at 24 on Thursday evening, and said the number could rise as rescue and recovery efforts continued. Officials said the victims included adults, and several survivors were taken to a local hospital. Graphic footage and photos circulating on social media showed children and other injured people being treated on crowded hospital floors, with some photos showing young children lying motionless at the scene.
A Reuters witness said firefighters had extinguished the main fire by midday, but smoke still billowed from piles of debris and twisted corrugated metal roofs. The exact cause of the fire is not yet known.
Bukavu, a crowded city with steep hills and densely packed houses, was captured by the M23 rebel group in February last year. Unrest and poor service delivery in parts of eastern DR Congo have raised concerns about emergency response capacity and safety standards in public buildings.
The national government in Kinshasa issued a statement on X expressing condolences over the accident. While it did not provide a death toll, the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed condolences, pledged solidarity with the affected families, and said assessments would be conducted at affected schools to ensure that education could continue.
This accident follows another deadly incident in the capital last weekend, when a stampede following a fire at a wedding banquet hall killed hundreds of people. In response to that incident, the government ordered stricter safety measures and dispatched teams nationwide to enforce public gathering standards.
Local authorities and aid workers are now focusing on treating the injured, identifying the dead, and evacuating damaged homes. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, leaving residents facing immediate shortages of shelter and essential supplies, as the area is already struggling with difficulties due to relocation and poor infrastructure.
The investigation is expected to reveal how the fire started and why the evacuation process caused such severe devastation. Initial information suggests that the crowded school and nearby homes, made quick evacuation difficult due to materials that are highly flammable. As rescue teams continue their work, emergency responders and community leaders are calling for better enforcement of safety rules to prevent future accidents.
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