Deadly Fire Engulfs Two Schools in Congo’s Bukavu, Claims 26 Lives

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a widespread fire in two adjacent schools in the city of Bukavu, located in eastern Congo, has tragically claimed the lives of at least 26 students and left dozens injured. Local authorities reported that the incident occurred in schools situated next to each other in the eastern Congolese city.

The provincial government of South Kivu issued a statement detailing that 19 girls and 7 boys perished in the incident, cautioning that the number of casualties could potentially rise. The statement highlighted the severity of the blaze that led to such a significant loss of young lives.

Earlier reports from Laurent Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, which exercises control over the city, indicated that 24 students had died and 29 others were receiving medical treatment at local health facilities. This earlier assessment provided an initial understanding of the scale of the disaster before the official figures were released.

Moise Lubala, a local official in the region, informed the Associated Press that the fire initially started in a residential house before spreading to the two neighboring schools. He described the rapid progression of the blaze from a single dwelling to the educational institutions.

Lubala further elaborated that several students were trapped inside Furaha High School, with some succumbing to suffocation due to the intense smoke and heat. The circumstances of their entrapment underscore the perilous nature of the fire and the challenges faced by those caught within the burning structures.