At Least 24 Children Feared Dead in Bukavu School Fire
Emery Makumeno, Reuters – A fire that engulfed two schools in the rebel‑held city of Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has left at least 24 students feared dead, according to a senior official.
The blaze also killed several adults and destroyed about 300 houses in the densely populated Kadutu commune, officials say.
Medical teams rushed survivors to nearby hospitals, where footage showed children in pain on hospital floors. The fire was reported extinguished by afternoon, but smoke still rose from the rubble.
Bukavu was seized by M23 rebels in February last year; rebel‑appointed authorities are awaiting a provisional death toll release.
The Kinshasa government "expresses deep sorrow" and vows to assess affected schools to preserve learning continuity. The incident follows a similar fire in Kinshasa that caused a deadly stampede at a wedding hall.
