At least 14 children have died after a fire broke out near a school in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, triggering a violent stampede.
The blaze started on Thursday morning in the Bagira district on the northern outskirts of the city while pupils of Ujamaa Primary School were in class. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
According to a teacher, Simon Kasamira, panic broke out as children screamed and tried to escape through doors and windows. He said some pupils jumped from upper floors while others ran through the doors.
Local leader, Patrice Buduge, said the fire was followed by a violent stampede that forced students to trample on one another in search of a way out. He said many fainted while others lost consciousness.
A nurse at a neighbouring clinic, Christophe Zigashane, said about 50 students and teachers were brought in with severe asphyxia. He said 10 were already dead on arrival while four others died at the scene, bringing the number to 14. All the victims were under 10 years old.
Buduge added that over 500 homes were burnt in the inferno and gave a provisional toll of 27 deaths, though the figure could not be independently verified. He said 27 others, including two teachers, were transferred to other hospitals in critical condition.
Large columns of smoke were still visible around the site hours after the incident as residents searched through the wreckage of charred wooden houses.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group since February 2025. The city on the shores of Lake Kivu is known for its hillside wooden houses where fire outbreaks are common.
Later reports from UNICEF said the death toll from the fire and stampede had risen to 26 children, with 25 others injured.
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