At least 24 students have been killed after a fire swept through two adjoining schools in Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, triggering a chaotic rush to escape and leaving dozens of people injured.
Authorities say at least 14 school children have been killed after fire ravaged schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern city of Bukavu. Some of the students reportedly died in a stampede while trying to escape the flames. pic.twitter.com/ehxVbgDDaY
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 10, 2026
The deadly fire struck Furaha Secondary School and Ujamaa Primary School in Bukavu’s densely populated Kadutu area.
Authorities linked to the M23 administration controlling the city said 19 girls and five boys were among those killed. At least 29 people were being treated at local medical facilities following the disaster.
The fire is believed to have started at a nearby house before rapidly spreading into the two schools, according to local officials cited by The Associated Press.
Students trapped as fire spread through Bukavu schools
Witness accounts and local officials described scenes of panic as students attempted to escape the burning buildings.
Moïse Lubala, a local neighbourhood administrator, told AP that several students became trapped inside Furaha Secondary School. Some were reported to have suffocated as smoke and flames spread through the area.
Lubala said the school’s exit was too narrow to cope with the sudden evacuation. Some children attempted to escape through windows while others crowded toward the doorway.
As students pushed toward the limited exits, some fell and were trampled in the rush to get outside, according to the local official.
Children from both schools were taken to nearby medical facilities, with footage from the aftermath showing injured students receiving treatment.
Earlier reports had described more than 20 children as feared dead. Subsequent information from authorities placed the confirmed student death toll at at least 24.
The disaster also caused extensive damage beyond the schools. Around 300 homes were reported destroyed or affected as the flames moved through the tightly packed neighbourhood.
Images from the scene showed large areas reduced to smoking rubble after the main fire had been extinguished.
Cause of Bukavu fire remains under investigation
The precise cause of the fire had not been established as authorities continued assessing the destruction.
DR Congo’s Ministry of National Education expressed sorrow over the deaths and injuries and said officials were assessing the affected schools to determine how education could continue for surviving students.
The government initially described the casualty toll as provisional as emergency teams continued gathering information from hospitals and the affected neighbourhood.
Bukavu is the capital of South Kivu province and one of eastern DR Congo’s most densely populated cities. Many neighbourhoods are built across steep hillsides, with homes and businesses positioned extremely close together, increasing the danger when fires spread.
The city has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since February 2025, adding another layer of difficulty to emergency response and public administration in an area already affected by years of conflict.
The tragedy follows another deadly fire in DR Congo, where people were killed in a stampede at a wedding venue in Kinshasa.
Fire safety has become a growing concern in densely populated communities where narrow access routes, crowded buildings and limited firefighting infrastructure can make evacuation difficult.
Major fires elsewhere have also highlighted the dangers of fast-moving emergencies. A recent cargo ship fire at Qingdao Port in China caused multiple deaths, while investigators have also been examining the circumstances surrounding the deadly Miami Amazon cargo jet crash.
Officials in Bukavu were continuing to assess the schools and surrounding neighbourhood as families awaited further information about victims and survivors.
This is a developing story. Casualty figures and other details may change as authorities release further information.
Sources: Reporting and casualty information in this developing story has been compiled from official statements and reports by BBC News, Al Jazeera and The Associated Press. Figures remain subject to change as authorities in Bukavu provide further updates.
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