DRC: 27 pupils buried after deadly Bukavu school fire

What the report says

Parents, relatives and residents in Bukavu gathered on Monday to bury 27 pupils who died in a fire that swept through Ujamaa and Furaah primary schools in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, according to The Observer. The funeral service took place at the Royal Athenaeum Education Institution, before the children were later laid to rest at Ruzizi Cemetery.

The newspaper said the fire began on Funu B Avenue in Kasheke, Chimpunda district, on September 10, 2026. It reported that some of the pupils died in a stampede while trying to flee, while others suffocated. The blaze also spread through the surrounding densely populated area, destroying more than 500 houses and leaving hundreds of families without homes.

The DRC Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship expressed condolences, and the M23/AFC leadership also issued condolences and announced three days of mourning. Senior M23/AFC figures, including Bertrand Bisimwa, Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, Lawrence Kanyuka and Patrick Busu Bwa Ngwi Nshombo, attended the burial. In his remarks, Nangaa said the authorities would take steps to prevent similar incidents, and the group said it covered funeral-related costs.

The tragedy has renewed attention on fire safety in schools and crowded neighbourhoods in Bukavu. More broadly, it highlights the risks faced by communities in areas where dense housing and limited emergency response can turn a fire into a wider disaster.