At least fifteen children die in a school fire in the Congo

THE CONGO.- At least fifteen children died due to a fire that broke out this Thursday morning at a primary school in the city of Bukavu, capital of the South Kivu province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local authorities reported.

The flames razed the Mogo school, in the Kadutu commune, specified its mayor, Théo Ruremesha.

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“We do not yet have an accurate count or know the exact cause. So far, 15 schoolchildren’s bodies have been accounted for,” Ruremesha told EFE.

“They were all children. Some were quickly taken to the hospital, but several were found lifeless among the rubble,” the mayor added.

As Ruremesha explained, the fire started in some neighboring houses while the students were in class and spread rapidly to the educational center’s facilities.

Rescue efforts were severely hampered by the difficult access to the area, which forced the neighbors themselves to intervene to assist the victims, try to provide shelter to those affected, and contain the advance of the flames.

In addition to the damage suffered by the school, several surrounding homes were destroyed by the fire, leaving various families without belongings or a home.

The city of Bukavu suffers from recurring fires during the dry season, and in the last two months alone, fire has destroyed thousands of homes in different communes.

“To date, more than 2,500 homes have been destroyed in different parts of the city. Just during the months of July, August and early September,” noted the governor of South Kivu, Jean Jacques Purusi, in a statement reported by local media.

The provincial government demanded the establishment of an independent mechanism to investigate and document the recurring fires in Bukavu, in order to record the loss of human life and the destruction of homes and property of the affected populations.