The sudden noise and smoke caused widespread panic among the students, leading to a deadly crush as they rushed to escape through narrow exits
By Titilope Adako
Twenty-nine students have died in the Central African Republic following a deadly stampede triggered by a loud explosion during secondary school examinations in the capital, Bangui.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday—the second day of the high-school baccalaureate exams—at the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda, where nearly 6,000 students from five schools had gathered.
Abel Assaye, head of the Bangui community hospital, confirmed the death toll to the BBC, while local radio Ndeke Luka reported that panic broke out after an explosion and smoke emerged from an electricity transformer on the school premises.
Authorities said the blast occurred when power was restored to the transformer, which had recently undergone repairs and is located on the ground floor of the main school building.
The sudden noise and smoke caused widespread panic among the students, leading to a deadly crush as they rushed to escape through narrow exits.
More than 280 students were injured in the incident. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning and ordered free medical care for the wounded.
Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced an immediate suspension of further exams.
A survivor, Magloire, told Radio France Internationale that the incident happened during a history and geography paper. He recalled jumping through a window, his face covered in blood.
“The students wanted to save their lives,” he said. “But as they fled, they saw death. The door was really small. Not everyone could get out.”
The tragedy adds to the challenges already facing the Central African Republic, which continues to battle political instability and insecurity, with government forces—backed by Russian mercenaries—locked in conflict with armed groups.
Authorities have promised a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the explosion and the lack of adequate safety measures.
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