At least 26 children were killed in a fire and stampede at a school in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to UNICEF. The incident occurred on Thursday when a fire broke out at Ujamaa primary school, causing panic among students who attempted to escape by jumping from windows. The blaze, which started around 9:00 am local time, led to a stampede as children tried to flee, resulting in injuries and fatalities.
Simon Kasamira, a teacher at the school, described the chaotic scene, stating, "In the middle of class, I suddenly heard students screaming, some were jumping from the upper floors, and others were running away through the doors." He added that parents rushed to the school in search of their children, only to find it engulfed in flames.
The fire reportedly started simultaneously at three different locations within the school, according to a report by inspectors from the Congolese education ministry. The blaze destroyed hundreds of homes and caused widespread devastation in the area. The ministry's report noted that those trapped inside suffered from asphyxiation, while others were trampled in the stampede.
UNICEF reported that 25 children were injured in the disaster. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, which has controlled Bukavu since February 2025, declared three days of mourning and announced that funerals for the victims—20 girls and six boys—would be held on Saturday.
Bukavu, known for its wooden houses built on hillsides, has a history of deadly fires. The city lacks adequate firefighting equipment, and fires are often caused by insufficient spacing between buildings and illegal connections to the power grid. In October, a blaze in the city killed 14 people, mostly children. Last week, a fire at a wedding in the capital Kinshasa resulted in 12 deaths.
The Congolese education ministry expressed "profound sadness" over the tragedy, calling for an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege urged for "urgent measures" to provide humanitarian aid to those affected, stating that the disaster "has shattered the dreams and futures of so many children."
The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the Democratic Republic of Congo, a region plagued by conflict and instability for over three decades. For Bangladeshi readers, this tragedy highlights the importance of robust safety measures and infrastructure in educational institutions to prevent such disasters.
