Families in Bukavu's Kadutu commune are confronting a fast-growing humanitarian emergency after a fire that tore through two schools and nearby homes provoked a stampede, officials say, leaving at least 24 schoolchildren feared dead. Authorities cautioned the toll could increase as rescue and medical teams continue working at the scene, and they reported that adults also died in the blaze.
Local responders and witnesses described chaos as residents fled the flames. Survivors were taken to hospitals, and footage circulating online showed injured children being treated on hospital floors. Local officials put the number of destroyed houses at around 300. A witness said firefighters had brought the main flames under control by afternoon, but smoke still rose from piles of rubble and corrugated metal. Officials have not yet determined how the fire began.
The city of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels since February last year. Local authorities appointed by the rebel movement said they were assessing the scene and would publish a provisional death toll this evening. Kinshasa, which remains the central government, issued a statement on X expressing sorrow and outlining immediate steps.
"The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed deep sorrow over the deadly fire," the statement said. "With several lives lost and many injured, the toll remains provisional. The minister offered condolences, affirmed solidarity with families, and ordered assessments of affected schools to ensure learning continuity." The statement did not provide casualty figures.
The incident follows a similar deadly stampede at a Kinshasa wedding banquet hall last weekend that prompted authorities to order tightened safety measures and to deploy teams to enforce standards at public gathering places nationwide. In Bukavu, officials said the priorities are medical care for the wounded, identifying those who died, and confirming the blaze's cause.
For now residents face destroyed homes, injured children, and the likelihood that the confirmed death toll will rise as emergency teams finish search, rescue and recovery work. Both rebel-appointed local authorities and the government in Kinshasa are expected to issue further updates on casualties and plans to restore schooling and shelter for those displaced.
