Families gathered around rows of coffins, some carrying photographs of the victims, while hundreds attended the service in the eastern city. UNICEF said at least 26 children died and 25 others were injured.
The fire broke out at around 9am local time (07:00 GMT) on Thursday, 11 September, while pupils were attending lessons at Ujamaa Primary School in the Chimpunda neighbourhood of Bukavu’s densely populated Kadutu commune. As the flames spread through the wooden building, some children jumped from upper floors while others rushed towards the exits, triggering a stampede in which pupils were trampled.
A report by the Congolese education ministry said three fires had started at sites about 500 metres apart, with some victims dying from asphyxiation. The blaze also destroyed hundreds of homes, with local officials estimating that around 300 houses were affected, and left dozens of people injured. At one point, 21 patients were in intensive care.
Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 armed group since February 2025. M23 authorities declared three days of mourning and initially put the death toll at 24, including 19 girls and five boys, before UNICEF later raised the figure to 26.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, with both the authorities in Kinshasa and the M23 administration calling for an investigation.