BUKAVU, Congo — A fire that started Thursday in a densely‑packed neighborhood of Bukavu spread to two adjoining schools, killing at least 24 students, the M23 rebel administration said.
Lawrence Kanyuka, the spokesperson for the M23 group that controls the city, reported that 19 girls and five boys lost their lives. He added that 29 people are being treated at local medical facilities.
How the blaze unfolded
According to neighborhood administrator Moïse Lubala, the fire began in a house before leaping to Furaha secondary school and Ujamaa primary school. Several students were trapped inside Furaha, and some suffocated.
“The exit was too narrow, so some students began jumping through windows while others rushed toward the door. As everyone tried to force their way out, students were pushed over and trampled on,” Lubala said.
Response and casualties
Students from both schools were taken to the Nyamulagira BDOM health center in their uniforms, nurse Ciza Jean‑Baptiste told the Associated Press. Medical staff are struggling to keep track of the exact number of injured because of the large volume of patients.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Lubala noted that the neighborhood where the blaze started is densely populated and most houses are built of wood, which contributed to the rapid spread.
Broader context
The tragedy comes amid ongoing instability in eastern Congo. The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, seized control of Bukavu in February 2025. More than 100 armed groups compete for the region’s mineral wealth, which is critical to global technology supply chains.
Health services in the area are already under severe strain, grappling with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, which has claimed over 3,300 lives and recorded more than 6,800 confirmed cases.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
