More than 20 children feared dead in DR Congo school fire

ByEmery Makumeno and Robert Greenall.

Key points

• Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province and one of the DRC's most crowded hillside cities, was captured by M23 rebels in February last year.
• "The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed deep sorrow over the deadly fire, " it remarked.
• Some 300 houses have additionally been destroyed in the fire, the cause of which is unknown.
• Adults are additionally noted to have died in the fire and there are fears that the death toll could rise further in the densely populated Kadutu commune.
• A witness quoted by Reuters news agency remarked the fire had been put out by afternoon but smoke was still rising from rubble and corrugated metal.

At least 24 schoolchildren are feared dead in a stampede as they tried to flee a fire that engulfed two schools in rebel-held Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a senior official there has remarked.

Survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals, and footage of the scene demonstrates children lying on hospital floors in pain.

Pictures circulating on social media show young children lying motionless on the ground.

Notably, a witness quoted by Reuters news agency remarked the fire had been put out by afternoon but smoke was still rising from rubble and corrugated metal.

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

Meanwhile the administration in Kinshasa issued a statement on X, without specifying numbers of casualties.

"With a number of lives lost and numerous injured, the toll remains provisional. The minister offered condolences, affirmed solidarity with families, and ordered assessments of affected schools to ensure learning continuity."

For context, the tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall.

In response, the administration has ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places. More BBC stories on DR Congo. DR Congo and M23 rebels agree roadmap for peace discussions.

What is Ebola and why is stopping the latest outbreak so tough? DR Congo takes Rwanda to international court over decades of conflict.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

For now, more than 20 children feared dead in DR Congo school fire remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.