DRC: Deadly fire ravages school and entire neighbourhood in Bukavu

At least 24 schoolchildren were killed and 29 others injured when a fire tore through a densely populated neighbourhood in Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, according to local authorities.

The victims included 19 girls and five boys. Several of the injured were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could increase as rescuers continued searching through the ruins.

The fire broke out in the Kadutu district as children were making their way to school. Witnesses said flames spread rapidly to nearby homes, many of them built largely from wood, engulfing two schools and more than 300 houses.

Ambulances were sent to the scene to evacuate the injured, while residents rushed to rescue relatives and salvage belongings from the flames.

By the end of the day, the fire had been brought under control, although thick plumes of smoke continued to rise above the charred remains of the neighbourhood. Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.

The destruction has left hundreds of families without homes and added to the hardships facing residents of Bukavu, a city already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis.

Bukavu is currently controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel movement, which the United Nations and several Western governments have accused Rwanda of supporting. Rwanda denies backing the group. The wider region has faced months of insecurity, mass displacement and limited access to essential services.

Local authorities have appealed for assistance for bereaved families and those who lost their homes, as rescue operations and assessments of the damage continue.