At least 29 people, including 24 children, were killed after a fire swept through a neighbourhood in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and spread to two schools, triggering a deadly stampede, local officials said Thursday.
The blaze erupted at around 8am local time (6am GMT) in the Chimpunda neighbourhood of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, before spreading to Ujamaa Primary School and Furaha Secondary School and nearby homes, reports Al Jazeera.
Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the AFC/M23 rebel movement that controls Bukavu, said the victims included 19 girls and five boys. Local media reported that the death toll was provisional.
UN-operated broadcaster Radio Okapi said students who suffered from smoke inhalation and suffocation were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge, the vice governor of South Kivu, told Reuters that the fire destroyed the two schools as well as about 300 wooden houses in the area.
The disaster was compounded by panic among students trying to flee the flames. Local official Patrice Buduge told media that a violent stampede followed the fire, with students trampling one another or attempting to escape through dangerous routes.
Some victims fainted or lost consciousness, he said, while others died in the crush.
Kanyuka said 29 people were receiving medical treatment, including 21 patients in intensive care. Seventeen critically injured victims were being treated at Kadutu General Hospital, while another four were at Bukavu Provincial General Hospital.
Christophe Zigashane, a nurse at a local clinic, told AFP that the facility received about 50 students and several teachers suffering from severe asphyxia. Some victims died at the scene, while others later succumbed to their injuries in hospitals, he said.
Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed flames engulfing several houses and spreading toward the two schools.
The AFC/M23 said emergency response teams had been deployed and succeeded in bringing the fire under control. The group said it was providing assistance to those affected and urged residents to remain calm, show solidarity and stay vigilant as investigations into the incident continue.
The cause of the fire had not been established.
Bukavu has experienced a series of fires in recent days, according to Congolese media.
A separate blaze last Sunday destroyed more than 45 houses, highlighting ongoing concerns over fires in the densely populated city.
Bukavu has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 movement since February 2025, after the group intensified its campaign to capture territory across the mineral-rich eastern DRC.
