School fire in DR Congo claims more than 20 lives



Rubble and frustrated people at Bukavu school fire
Fire has been put out, but smoke still rises from the remains.


At least 24 schoolchildren are feared dead in a stampede while they tried to flee a fire that engulfed two schools in rebel‑held Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.


Adults also died, with fears that the death toll could rise further in the densely populated Kadutu commune.


Survivors were taken to nearby hospitals, and video footage shows children lying on hospital floors in pain.


Some 300 houses have been destroyed by the blaze, whose cause remains unknown.


Rebel authorities say they are assessing the situation and will release a provisional death toll later this evening.


The government in Kinshasa released a statement on X expressing deep sorrow and promising to assess affected schools to ensure learning continuity.


The tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where a stampede at a wedding hall killed residents.


In response, the government has ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.


By Emery Makumeno & Robert Greenall, BBC Africa