At Least 24 Children Killed in Devastating School Fire

At least 24 children have died after a devastating fire tore through two neighboring schools in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with officials warning the death toll could rise.

The blaze broke out Thursday, Sept. 10, in the city of Bukavu and spread to Furaha secondary school and Ujamaa primary school, according to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press and the BBC.

Authorities said at least 24 students have been confirmed dead so far.

Local administrator Moïse Lubala said the fire began inside a nearby home before spreading to the schools.

As flames and smoke quickly engulfed the area, students reportedly rushed toward a narrow exit in an attempt to escape.

“The exit was too narrow, so some students began jumping through windows while others rushed toward the door,” Lubala said.

The desperate scramble quickly turned deadly.

“As everyone tried to force their way out, students were pushed over and trampled on,” he said.

Officials said some children were unable to escape the secondary school and died from suffocation.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Lubala noted that the neighborhood contains many wooden homes packed closely together, allowing the flames to spread rapidly.

The destruction stretched far beyond the two schools.

Approximately 300 wooden homes were also destroyed in the massive blaze, according to Reuters and the BBC, leaving parts of the community in ruins.

Photos from the scene showed residents walking through charred debris and the remains of buildings after the flames were brought under control.

Bukavu is the capital of South Kivu province and has been under the control of M23 rebels since February.

Officials have warned that the number of victims could increase as emergency crews continue searching through the devastated area and authorities work to identify those killed.

The tragedy comes as eastern Congo is already dealing with another major crisis.

The region has been battling a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak, with the Associated Press reporting that the disease had spread to seven provinces.

As of Sept. 9, officials reported 3,349 deaths linked to the outbreak.

For families in Bukavu, the school fire has now added another heartbreaking tragedy to a region already struggling with conflict, disease and displacement.