At least 24 schoolchildren are feared dead in a stampede as they tried to flee a fire that torch‑ed two schools in rebel‑held Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Adults also died, and there are fears the death toll could rise further in the densely populated Kadutu commune.
Survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals, and footage of the scene shows children lying on hospital floors in pain.
Some 300 houses were also destroyed in the fire, whose cause remains unknown.
Pictures on social media show young children lying motionless on the ground.
A witness quoted by Reuters said the fire had been put out by afternoon but smoke was still rising from rubble and corrugated metal.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province and one of DR Congo's most crowded hill‑top cities, was captured by M23 rebels in February last year.
Rebel‑appointed authorities say they are assessing the situation and will release a provisional death toll later tonight.
Meanwhile the government in Kinshasa released a statement on X, without specifying casualty numbers.
The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed deep sorrow over the deadly fire, offered condolences, confirmed lives lost and many injured, and ordered assessments of affected schools to ensure learning continuity.
The tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall.
In response, the government ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.
