At least 24 schoolchildren were killed and 29 others injured after a devastating fire swept through a densely populated neighbourhood in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Thursday.
Local authorities said the victims comprised 19 girls and five boys, while several of the injured were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
The fire erupted in the Kadutu district as children were heading to school and quickly spread through the neighbourhood, where many homes were constructed largely from wood.
Witnesses said the blaze engulfed two schools and more than 300 houses, leaving widespread destruction and forcing hundreds of families from their homes.
Ambulances were deployed to evacuate the injured, while residents joined rescue efforts, searching for relatives and attempting to recover belongings from the burning buildings.
Although firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control, thick smoke continued to rise over the charred remains of the neighbourhood.
Authorities have launched an investigation to establish the cause of the fire.
The disaster has compounded the hardship facing residents of Bukavu, a city already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis amid prolonged insecurity and displacement.
Bukavu is currently under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel movement, which the United Nations and several Western governments have accused Rwanda of supporting. Rwanda has denied the allegations.
The wider region has endured months of insecurity, mass displacement and limited access to essential services, further complicating efforts to respond to the latest disaster.
Local authorities have appealed for emergency assistance for families who lost loved ones and those whose homes were destroyed.
Rescue operations and assessments of the scale of the damage were continuing as authorities worked to determine the full impact of the tragedy.
