Hundreds gather in eastern Congo to mourn victims of school fires

A fire that began in a house spread to two adjoining schools in Bukavu, triggering a stampede that killed at least 27 students and injured dozens.
Hundreds attended a mass funeral as grieving families and teachers described hearing children’s cries and lamented being unable to save them.
The tragedy unfolded amid eastern Congo’s instability (Bukavu is under M23 control) and strained health services coping with a major Ebola outbreak.