Africa-Press. At least 27 children, including 19 girls and 8 boys, were killed in a fire that swept through 300 homes and two schools in the city of Bukavu, located in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is controlled by a rebel group.
According to a local source, the toll is still preliminary, as medical sources reported that 29 other individuals were injured in the fire.
More than 300 homes were burned, and two educational institutions were damaged in the municipalities of Bagira and Kadutu, according to the same source, which noted that the exact circumstances of the fire’s outbreak were not immediately known.
The official agency quoted a resident as saying, “We do not know the source of the fire. We were just surprised, and we believe it is of a criminal nature. It spread to three neighborhoods: Kashiki, Lugulu, and Eilela.”
The resident added, “We do not know what is happening in Bukavu. In one month, we recorded 18 fires, which have already resulted in more than 50 deaths. We ask the government for assistance.”
The Congolese citizen continued, “We do not know where we will spend the night with the children during this time at the beginning of the school year.”
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of the March 23 Movement and the Rwandan army since February 2025, as reported by the local agency.
The same sources indicated that the death toll is likely to rise.
