At least 24 schoolchildren are feared dead after a fire engulfed two schools in the rebel-held city of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, triggering a fatal stampede as pupils tried to escape. Adults are also reported among the dead, and officials fear the toll could climb further in the densely populated Kadutu commune, one of the city's most crowded hillside districts. The blaze underscores growing concerns over safety standards at public buildings in DR Congo, coming just days after a separate fire caused a deadly stampede at a wedding venue in the capital, Kinshasa.

Around 300 homes were also destroyed by the fire, whose cause remains unknown, and survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals, with footage showing injured children on hospital floors. Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels since February last year; rebel-appointed authorities say they are assessing the situation and expect to issue a provisional death toll later. The Kinshasa government, which does not control the city, expressed condolences via a ministry statement without confirming casualty figures, and has ordered nationwide safety assessments and stricter enforcement at public gathering places following the recent spate of fires.