Tragedy in Bukavu: At least 27 children die after fire at primary school
A devastating tragedy has plunged the city of Bukavu, capital of the South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, into mourning. A massive fire consumed the facilities of a primary school in the Kadutu commune, claiming the lives of at least 27 minors, according to the most recent reports from local authorities.
The town’s mayor, Théo Ruremesha, confirmed that the death toll rose drastically following debris removal efforts at the Mogo school, where twelve additional bodies were found this Friday morning. The magnitude of the event has mobilized the entire community, which joined rescue teams in the face of difficulties accessing the affected area.
This morning the death toll was revised upwards, but it is still not precise. Today, 12 more bodies were discovered among the children, victims of this tragedy.
Théo Ruremesha, Mayor of Kadutu
Impact and rescue efforts
The situation in hospital centers has been critical. Hypocrate Marume, president of the civil society of Bukavu, reported that the Kadutu referral hospital was overwhelmed by the number of wounded, forcing the transfer of several minors to other medical centers in the city. For its part, the March 23 Movement (M23) group, which maintains control in the area, indicated that there are dozens of people receiving specialized medical care, many of them in intensive care units.
- The flames not only destroyed the educational center but also spread to neighboring homes.
- Numerous families have been affected, losing their homes and all their belongings.
- Exhaustive investigations have been initiated to determine the exact causes of the incident.
A recurring problem in Bukavu
This fire adds to a worrying streak of incidents in the region during the dry season. According to data provided by the governor of South Kivu, Jean Jacques Purusi, more than 2,500 homes have been consumed by fire in the last two months, which has generated an unprecedented housing crisis in the area.
Given the frequency of these events, the provincial government has requested the creation of an independent mechanism to thoroughly investigate the origin of these fires and document the human and material damage, with the aim of preventing future tragedies of this magnitude in Bukavu.
