Hundreds attended a mass funeral in Bukavu after a school fire at Ujamaa Primary on 11 September killed 26 children and injured 25. The blaze tore through the wooden building around 09:00 local time, prompting pupils to jump from upper floors and triggering a deadly stampede. Authorities reported three separate fires about 500 metres apart, and local officials estimate around 300 homes were damaged. Both Kinshasa and the M23 administration have called for investigations into the cause.
Bukavu Mourns: School Blaze Kills 26 Children as Hundreds Attend Mass Funeral
Mass funeral in Bukavu for 26 children killed in DR Congo school blaze
Families gathered around rows of coffins, some holding photographs of the victims, as hundreds attended a mass funeral in Bukavu after a devastating school fire killed dozens of children. UNICEF confirmed that at least 26 children died and 25 others were injured in the blaze.
The fire broke out at about 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Thursday, 11 September, while pupils were in class at Ujamaa Primary School in the Chimpunda neighbourhood of the densely populated Kadutu commune. Flames spread rapidly through the wooden building; some children jumped from upper floors while others rushed for the exits, triggering a stampede in which several pupils were trampled.
A report from the Congolese education ministry said that three separate fires started at sites roughly 500 metres apart, and that some victims died from asphyxiation. The blaze also destroyed hundreds of homes, with local officials estimating around 300 houses were affected. Dozens of people were injured and at one point 21 patients were in intensive care.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 armed group since February 2025. M23 authorities declared three days of mourning and initially reported a death toll of 24 — 19 girls and five boys — before UNICEF later raised the figure to 26.
Calls For Investigation
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Both the national authorities in Kinshasa and the M23 administration have called for independent investigations into the incident to determine how the fires started and to establish accountability. Local and international agencies are expected to support recovery efforts for families and those who lost their homes.
Humanitarian Concern: The tragedy has prompted urgent appeals for medical care, psychosocial support and aid for displaced families as the community mourns the loss of so many children.
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