At least 24 students were killed and 29 others injured after a fire swept through two schools and a nearby residential area in Bukavu, a rebel-controlled city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday.
The victims included 19 girls and five boys, according to Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the AFC/M23 rebel group that controls the city. The death toll could rise as rescue and recovery operations continue.
The fire started at a house in the densely populated area of Cimpunda and quickly spread to Furaha Secondary School and Ujamaa Primary School, according to local officials.
Several students were trapped inside the schools, while others suffered from smoke inhalation. Panic also broke out as students tried to escape through narrow exits. Some reportedly jumped from windows, while others were knocked down and trampled in the rush to safety.
A local health worker said large numbers of students were taken to nearby medical facilities, with medical staff struggling to keep track of the injured because of the volume of casualties.
The blaze also destroyed around 300 wooden houses in the surrounding area, leaving many families without homes. Emergency teams were deployed to the scene and brought the fire under control later in the day.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation.
Bukavu is the capital of South Kivu province and has been controlled by the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 movement since February 2025, when the group seized the city during an offensive in eastern Congo.
The latest incident comes amid a series of fires in Bukavu in recent months. Authorities are investigating whether there is any connection between the separate incidents.
The disaster has further strained already limited health services in the conflict-affected region, where hospitals are dealing with multiple humanitarian challenges.
