Families and residents gathered in mourning in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as 26 children killed in a school fire were laid to rest.
Rows of coffins, some bearing photographs of the young victims, were displayed during the mass funeral attended by hundreds of mourners in the city.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said at least 26 children died while 25 others were injured in the blaze at Ujamaa Primary School in the Chimpunda neighbourhood of Bukavu’s densely populated Kadutu commune.
The fire broke out at about 9am local time (0700 GMT) on Thursday, September 11, while pupils were attending lessons. As flames spread through the wooden school building, some children reportedly jumped from upper floors, while others rushed towards the exits, triggering a stampede in which some pupils were trampled.
A report by the Congolese education ministry said three separate fires broke out at locations about 500 metres apart. It added that some of the victims died from asphyxiation.
The fire also destroyed hundreds of homes, with local officials estimating that about 300 houses were affected. Dozens of people were injured, while 21 patients were at one point receiving 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.
The M23 administration declared three days of mourning and initially put the death toll at 24, including 19 girls and five boys. UNICEF later revised the figure to 26.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Authorities in Kinshasa and the M23 administration have both called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
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