Fire Spreading Between Two Schools in Eastern Congo Kills at Least 24 Students

A fire that began in a home and spread to two adjoining schools in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killed at least 24 students, according to the M23-led administration controlling the city.

Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, said 19 girls and five boys died. He said 29 people were receiving treatment at local medical facilities.

The blaze started in a house before spreading to Furaha Secondary School and Ujamaa Primary School, neighborhood administrator Moïse Lubala told The Associated Press.

Several students became trapped inside Furaha Secondary School and suffocated, Lubala said.

Ciza Jean-Baptiste, a nurse at Nyamulagira BDOM health center, said students from both schools—boys and girls of various ages—were brought to the facility wearing their school uniforms.

Medical staff struggled to determine the precise number of injured because of the large number of patients, he said.

Lubala said the narrow exit contributed to the panic as students attempted to leave through doors and windows. In the rush, some were knocked down and trampled.

The cause of the fire remains unknown. Lubala said the neighborhood where it began is densely populated and many homes are constructed from wood.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government continues to struggle to assert control over the eastern part of the country. Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized Bukavu in February 2025. More than 100 armed groups are competing for influence in a mineral-rich region vital to the global technology supply chain.

The region’s health system is under intense pressure as it responds to the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, which has recorded more than 6,800 confirmed cases and killed over 3,300 people.

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