Tragedy Strikes DR Congo: School Fire Claims 14 Young Lives

A tragic fire swept through a primary school in Bukavu, located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on a recent Thursday, triggering a stampede that claimed the lives of at least 14 children, according to local and health sources. The inferno, which occurred on September 10, 2026, began during school hours, forcing some students to leap from upper floors in a desperate bid to escape the flames.

Simon Kasamira, a teacher at Ujamaa primary school, recounted the harrowing experience from a clinic where he was admitted. He described hearing students screaming and seeing them jump from higher floors or rush out through doors. Parents rushed to the scene searching for their children amidst the towering flames engulfing the school, which was constructed of wooden planks. An AFP correspondent at the scene observed smoke rising from the devastated site, with locals sifting through the wreckage.

Patrice Buduge, a local leader from the Bagira district where the fire erupted, stated that the blaze near the school initiated while children were in the middle of lessons. He described a violent stampede where students trampled over one another or sought dangerous exits, resulting in many fainting or losing consciousness. Buduge reported a provisional toll of over 500 homes burned and 27 deaths. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, which has controlled Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, since February 2025, later issued a statement reporting 24 deaths, including 19 girls and five boys, along with 29 people receiving medical treatment. However, AFP could not independently verify these figures with other official sources, noting that the M23 has suppressed government administration and civil society in areas under its control.

Christophe Zigashane, a nurse at a neighboring clinic, provided a detailed account of the casualties he witnessed. He stated that approximately 50 students and several teachers arrived in a critical state of asphyxia. Among them, 10 were already deceased, and four more died at the clinic, bringing his reported total to 14 deaths, all under 10 years old. Additionally, 27 individuals, including two teachers, were transferred in critical condition to other city hospitals. The fire extensively ravaged a wide, densely populated hillside area, leaving behind debris of charred houses and crumpled metal sheets.

This incident is not an isolated one in Bukavu, a city known for its wooden houses built on hillsides where fatal fires frequently occur. A previous fire in October had killed 14 people, mostly children. Blazes are a common tragedy in Congolese cities, largely due to a severe lack of firefighting equipment, close proximity of buildings, and prevalent illegal connections to the power grid, as highlighted by specialists. This regional vulnerability was underscored by another fire last week in the capital Kinshasa, which killed 12 people at a wedding.