At least 17 people killed in school fire in Bukavu, Congo
At least 17 people, including children, were killed in a school fire in the city of Bukavu in eastern Congo, which is controlled by Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels. Cyprus Mail reports, citing local and medical sources.
Casualty figures
A witness told Reuters that he helped load 17 bodies of men and children into an ambulance.
A local medical center said it received ten bodies of people killed in the fire. Another hospital said it admitted more than 50 students, 14 of whom died.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Cause of fire remains unknown
The cause of the fire is currently unclear. Rebel alliance coordinator Corneille Nangaa told Reuters that he did not have an exact death toll but estimated it at around ten people.
Bukavu has been under the control of Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels since the group's rapid advance in eastern Congo last year.
