26 children are killed in a school fire and stampede in Bukavu, DRC

A tragic incident in Bukavu, eastern DRC, resulted in the deaths of 26 children and left 25 others injured due to a school fire and subsequent stampede, according to officials.

At least 26 children lost their lives following a fire that caused a stampede at a school in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with some students leaping from upper floors in their attempts to flee the flames.

The fire erupted on Thursday at Ujamaa Primary School during class hours, as reported by inspectors from the Congolese education ministry and information provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

A teacher at the school, Simon Kasamira, reported that chaos ensued as students started screaming and hurried to flee the building.

Kasamira, undergoing treatment at a clinic, informed AFP that several students leaped from upper floors while others attempted to escape through the doors.

He mentioned that parents hurried to the school, desperately looking for their children, just before he witnessed the building, primarily made of wooden planks, consumed by flames.

The fire sparked a chaotic stampede as students fought to flee the scene. Inspectors from the education ministry reported that several students were trampled after falling during the rush.

The ministry’s report indicated that several individuals trapped inside the building succumbed to asphyxiation. It was also reported that fires ignited at three distinct locations approximately 500 meters apart.

UNICEF reported that 25 children sustained injuries in the disaster, while the education ministry and local officials indicated that the fire also ravaged hundreds of homes.

The M23 armed group, which has held control over Bukavu since February 2025, announced three days of mourning in light of the tragedy.


As reported by M23, the victims included 20 girls and six boys, with their funerals anticipated to occur on Saturday.

Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province and a significant city along the shores of Lake Kivu, has faced recurrent deadly fires, largely due to its closely constructed wooden houses and inadequate firefighting resources.

Authorities in Kinshasa and M23 have requested an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire that occurred on Thursday.

The tragedy has led to an outpouring of grief throughout the DRC, a nation that has faced years of turmoil with various armed factions vying for dominance in the eastern regions.

The education ministry conveyed profound sadness regarding the fatalities, characterizing the incident as indicative of a troubling trend of fires in Bukavu. A different fire in the city in October resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals, the majority of whom were children.

Experts indicate that fires frequently occur in Congolese cities due to insufficient firefighting infrastructure, densely packed buildings, and unauthorized connections to the electricity network.

Last week, a tragic fire at a wedding ceremony in Kinshasa resulted in the loss of 12 lives.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege called on authorities to act swiftly and deliver humanitarian assistance to those impacted, emphasizing that the deaths of the children should not be forgotten by the public.