At least 24 children lost their lives when a fierce fire razed two schools and around 300 wooden houses in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, September 10. The provisional death toll reported by the officials managing the city included 19 female and five male children, with at least 29 other individuals wounded. The death toll is expected to increase as hospitals treat more and more people and authorities count damage.
The fire hit the densely populated district of Kadutu when children were on the way to school. The witnesses talked about the scene of chaos and horror, as children tried to run away from the blaze. Some kids were trapped inside buildings, while others were hurt while trying to escape. The cause of the fire was unknown at this time.
Spread of the Bukavu Fire
According to local sources, the fire started within or close to a residential building and quickly spread into the neighborhood. Most buildings in the region are built from wooden materials that enabled quick spreading of the fire from one building to another.
Two nearby schools, in which many students had gathered at the time of the fire, namely Furaha Secondary School and Ujamaa Primary School, were affected by the fire. The students could not exit the school due to the number, and thus some jumped from the windows in order to escape the fire.
On Thursday evening, the primary fire was under control, but the smoke was still coming out from the ruins as well as from the torn corrugated metal sheets.
Health Services Overburdened with the Victims
At least 29 casualties were receiving medical assistance following the fire. Medical services in the region have reported a large number of injured students.
The size of the emergency has created more pressure on the hospitals in the city, where serious humanitarian problems were already occurring. Health officials have warned that the casualty count could go up further as investigations continue to be done.
There has also been confusion regarding the casualty count in this case. In the first place, an official count stated 24 children dead, but the Associated Press subsequently reported that South Kivu provincial authorities have increased the death toll of students to 26, with 19 girls and seven boys being killed. Congolese sources, however, have reported 27 children dead. All of this data is provisional at best.
Why Bukavu is So Vulnerable
Bukavu is one of the most heavily populated cities in eastern DRC. It is constructed on the hills in the South Kivu province, and this, along with wooden buildings, can allow urban fires to spread very fast.
Since February 2025, the city has been occupied by the rebel group AFC/M23.
The fire broke out only after a series of deaths from a stampede at a marriage hall in Kinshasa, prompting the authorities to increase security checks on public gatherings.
What the Authorities are Looking Into
The cause behind the fire that broke out in Bukavu is yet to be known. The authorities have begun investigating while the rescue team keeps on assessing the damaged schools, houses, and other areas of the neighbourhood.
The national ministry of education of DRC conveyed its condolences to the victims’ family members.
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