Congo School Fire in Bukavu Kills at Least 24 Students, M23 Says

At least 24 students were killed in a fire in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday, according to the rebel administration that controls the city.

M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said 19 girls and five boys were among those killed, while another 29 people were receiving treatment at local medical facilities.

The fire reportedly began at a house before spreading to two nearby schools, local neighbourhood administrator Moïse Lubala told The Associated Press.

Several students were trapped inside Furaha Secondary School, with some reportedly suffocating amid the blaze.

Students of different ages from Furaha and Ujamaa Primary School were taken to the Nyamulagira BDOM health centre, many still wearing their school uniforms, nurse Ciza Jean-Baptiste told the AP.

Medical workers struggled to determine the exact number of injured as large numbers of students arrived for treatment.

“The exit was too narrow,” Lubala said, explaining that some students jumped from windows while others rushed toward the doorway. The resulting crush led to several students being knocked down and trampled.

The cause of the fire remains unknown. Lubala said the neighbourhood is densely populated and many homes are built largely from wood, potentially allowing the flames to spread rapidly.

M23 Controls Bukavu

The Congolese government has struggled to maintain control over eastern Congo, where more than 100 armed groups are competing for territory and access to the region’s vast mineral resources, which are crucial to the global technology industry.

M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, seized control of Bukavu in February 2025.

The conflict has also placed the region’s already strained health services under further pressure, with the area battling what has been described in the report as the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. More than 3,300 people have died, while over 6,800 confirmed cases have been recorded.