A fire that tore through two schools in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday morning killed at least 24 students, most of them young girls, after a stampede broke out as children tried to escape the flames. The blaze began at a house in the densely built Kadutu commune before spreading quickly to the adjacent Furaha secondary school and Ujamaa primary school, trapping pupils in classrooms.
The M23 rebel group, which has controlled the city since February 2025, said 19 girls and five boys died. Spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka added that at least 29 injured people were receiving treatment at local medical facilities.
“This was followed by a violent stampede that forced students to trample over one another or look for a dangerous way out; many of them fainted and others lost consciousness,” said Patrice Buduge, a local leader in Bukavu.
Teacher Innocent Rukiko from Ujamaa primary school described the chaos: “Some climbed on top of others as they were running. Most of the pupils who died were young girls aged between six and 14.” The narrow exit forced some students to jump from windows, while others were pushed to the ground and crushed, according to neighbourhood administrator Moïse Lubala.
Parent Nsimire Rushuda, whose two children were injured and two remained missing, said: “Everything has also burned down. We do not know where we will sleep.” The fire destroyed around 300 wooden houses in the area, leaving dozens of families homeless.
CapeFlats.co.za was not present at the scene and is reporting this international tragedy from verified accounts published by the BBC, RFI, TimesLIVE, and the Associated Press. The exact death toll remains unverified, with local leader Patrice Buduge citing a higher figure of 27 deaths and suggesting over 500 homes were lost. M23-appointed vice-governor Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge confirmed the official count of 24 students dead.
Bukavu, a hillside city where most structures are built of wood, has no functioning public fire service. Fires spread fast, often fed by illegal electricity connections. Just days earlier, the city’s main market in Kadutu was razed. The region is also battling a severe Ebola outbreak, though that appears unrelated to Thursday’s disaster.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. Investigations by the M23 administration are underway, but no timeline has been given for a final report. CapeFlats.co.za will update this story as verified information emerges from international agencies and consular sources.