A school fire turned into a horrific tragedy in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, killing at least 26 children and injuring 25 others as terrified students scrambled to escape the flames, with some reportedly jumping from higher floors while others were crushed in a desperate stampede.
BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo — At least 26 children have died and 25 others were injured after a fire broke out at a school in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, triggering a terrifying stampede as students desperately tried to escape. The tragedy has left families mourning and raised fresh concerns about fire safety in a city where deadly blazes are a recurring danger.
The fire erupted at around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday while students were attending classes in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, according to the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF. As smoke and flames spread, children rushed toward the exits, while others reportedly tried to escape through windows on higher floors.
The chaos turned deadly as students struggled to get out of the burning school. Some children were reportedly trampled after falling during the stampede, while others trapped inside died from a lack of oxygen caused by the smoke, according to a report by inspectors from the Congolese education ministry.
Simon Kasamira, a teacher at Ujamaa Primary School who was receiving treatment at a clinic, described the horrifying moments when the fire began.
“In the middle of class, I suddenly heard students screaming, some were jumping from the upper floors, and others were running away through the doors,” Kasamira told AFP.
His account captured the panic that spread through the school as children searched for any possible way to survive.
The education ministry’s report also said that fires broke out at three different locations, about 500 meters apart. The details added to the confusion surrounding the disaster as authorities began examining how the blaze spread and why so many children were unable to escape safely.
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UNICEF confirmed that 25 children were injured in the incident. The agency expressed concern over the loss of young lives and the impact of the tragedy on families and the wider community.
ADSAccording to M23, the armed group controlling Bukavu, the victims included 20 girls and six boys. The group declared three days of mourning on Friday as grief spread across the city and other parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Funerals for the victims were expected to take place on Saturday.
Smoke continued to rise from the fire site as residents searched through the wreckage, an AFP correspondent reported. The blaze destroyed hundreds of homes, according to the education ministry’s report and a local official, leaving families to search among burned structures, damaged metal sheets, and piles of debris for what remained of their belongings.
Bukavu, located on the shores of Lake Kivu, is known for its wooden houses built along steep hillsides. The city’s tightly packed neighborhoods can make fires especially dangerous, as flames may spread quickly from one building to another.
Fire disasters are common in many Congolese cities, where firefighting equipment and emergency services are often limited. Specialists say that buildings constructed too close together and illegal electrical connections are among the problems that can increase the risk of fires.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted the dangers faced by families living in crowded communities, particularly children who depend on schools to provide a safe place to learn.
Authorities in Kinshasa and M23 have called for an investigation into the cause of the fire. The inquiry is expected to examine how the blaze started, why it spread to several locations, and whether safety measures could have helped prevent the deaths.
The disaster comes as eastern Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face the effects of a long-running conflict involving armed groups fighting for control of territory and valuable mineral resources.
Bukavu has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group since February 2025, after the group expanded its campaign across mineral-rich parts of eastern DRC. The conflict has added to the region’s humanitarian difficulties, with many communities already facing displacement, insecurity, and limited public services.
The education ministry expressed profound sadness over the deaths, describing the incident as part of a particularly concerning series of fires in Bukavu.
The city has experienced other deadly fire incidents in recent months. In October, a fire killed 14 people, most of them children. In the capital, Kinshasa, a fire at a wedding last week claimed 12 lives, further deepening concerns about emergency preparedness and public safety.
The repeated disasters have raised questions about the protection of children and the safety of buildings where people gather. For many families, the loss of children in a school fire is not only a personal tragedy but also a painful reminder of the dangers created by poor infrastructure and limited emergency response.
Congolese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege called for urgent action to help those affected by the disaster.
“A tragedy of such magnitude, which has shattered the dreams and futures of so many children, cannot become just another news story,” Mukwege wrote on X, calling for humanitarian aid for the victims and affected families.
As Bukavu prepares to bury the children, the tragedy has left a community facing grief, unanswered questions, and the difficult task of rebuilding lives after a disaster that claimed so many young futures.
The investigation into the fire is expected to be closely watched as families seek answers about what happened inside the school and whether stronger safety measures could have prevented the loss of life. / AFP/REUTERS
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