At least 29 students have been killed and dozens injured after a devastating fire swept through two schools and a densely populated residential area in the eastern Congolese city of Bukavu, authorities and medical sources said.

The latest figure, reported by South Kivu provincial authorities, includes 19 girls and seven boys. Earlier figures had put the death toll at 24, while hospital sources cited by UN-run Radio Okapi later reported that as many as 29 children had died. The toll remains provisional and could rise as authorities continue identifying victims.

The fire broke out at around 8 a.m. Thursday in the Chimpunda district of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, and rapidly spread from a nearby house to the adjacent Furaha and Ujamaa schools and surrounding homes.

Local neighborhood officials said the blaze began in a residential property before reaching the schools. The cause of the fire has not yet been established, and an investigation is expected to determine how it started and why it spread so rapidly.

The blaze triggered panic among students as they attempted to escape. Witnesses said the evacuation became chaotic, with some children trapped inside the schools, while others were forced to flee through windows or a narrow exit.

Local officials said some students were trampled in the rush to escape, while others died from smoke inhalation. Several victims were taken to hospitals and medical centres across Bukavu, many still wearing their school uniforms.

The AFC/M23 administration initially reported that 29 injured people were receiving medical treatment, including 21 in intensive care. Medical workers warned that the number of casualties could increase because of the severity of some injuries and the difficulties faced by hospitals in treating the large number of victims.

The fire also destroyed hundreds of homes in the surrounding area. Authorities initially estimated that around 300 wooden houses had been destroyed, while some local reports put the number of affected homes considerably higher.

Emergency crews eventually brought the blaze under control, but smoke continued to rise from the ruins as residents searched through the remains of homes and buildings for belongings.

The tragedy has dealt another severe blow to a city already facing major humanitarian and security challenges.

Bukavu has been under the control of the AFC/M23 movement since February 2025, following a major offensive by the group in eastern Congo. The wider region remains affected by armed conflict, displacement and a heavily strained healthcare system.

Congo's national government expressed sorrow over the deaths but did not immediately provide a definitive casualty figure. The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship said the initial toll was provisional and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

The ministry also called for an assessment of damage to the affected schools and said authorities should work with education and humanitarian partners to provide assistance and help ensure that students can resume their education.

The Bukavu disaster came only days after another deadly fire in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.

A fire broke out at a wedding venue in Kinshasa during the night of September 4-5. Initial reports put the death toll at 22, while the government later gave a provisional figure of 12 deaths.

Following the Kinshasa tragedy, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani ordered provincial authorities to inspect reception halls and other venues used for public gatherings and to close facilities that fail to meet safety standards.

The latest disaster in Bukavu has renewed concerns over fire safety, overcrowding and emergency evacuation capacity in densely populated communities across the Democratic Republic of Congo.

With the death toll from the school fire still being revised, families and residents in Bukavu are now awaiting further information as authorities continue to assess the scale of one of the city's deadliest recent fires. (ILKHA)