Deadly school fire in Congo's Bukavu kills at least 17, including children

Jerusalem Post/World NewsA witness said they helped load 17 bodies of men and children into an ambulance after a deadly school fire in rebel-controlled Bukavu.Follow us on GoogleThe ruins of a fire at a school and neighboring settlement in the area controlled by Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 10, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge)SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 17:32A fire at a school in Congo's rebel-controlled city of Bukavu has killed at least 17 people, including some children, local and medical sources said on Thursday.A witness at the scene told Reuters he had helped to load 17 bodies of deceased men and children into an ambulance.A local health centre said it had received 10 bodies of people killed in the fire. Another hospital said it had admitted more than 50 students, 14 of whom died.Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels Bukavu has been controlled by Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels since the group staged a lightning offensive in eastern Congo last year.The ruins of a fire at a school and neighboring settlement in the area controlled by Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 10, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge)The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.Corneille Nangaa, coordinator of the rebel alliance, told Reuters he didn't have an exact figure yet but put the death toll at around 10.Follow us on Google