24 schoolchildren killed in eastern Congo fire
A night fire tore through a densely built district of Bukavu, in South Kivu, destroying a school and dozens of homes. Rescue work is continuing.
At least 24 children were killed when a fire swept through a school and surrounding homes in Bukavu, in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, provincial authorities said on Thursday.
The fire began overnight and spread rapidly through timber-built housing on a steep hillside where access for emergency vehicles is limited. Local officials said a number of adults were also injured and that several people remain unaccounted for.
Why the toll rose so fast
Bukavu has grown quickly and much of its housing is built from wood and corrugated sheeting on slopes that fire crews cannot easily reach. Water supply for firefighting is intermittent. Similar fires in the city in recent years have destroyed hundreds of homes in a single night.
The cause has not been established. Provincial authorities have opened an investigation.
Compiled from statements by South Kivu provincial authorities and from Reuters and Agence France-Presse reporting. Verification cut-off 22:30 BST on 10 September 2026. Casualty figures in incidents of this kind commonly change as search work continues.
Corrections & updates
- Marked as a developing story
This report is being updated as verified information arrives.
Sep 10, 2026, 10:20 PM - Story published
Verified against the sources cited in this report.
Sep 10, 2026, 7:30 PM
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