Dozens killed in high school stampede in African country (VIDEO)
At least 29 schoolchildren have been killed and more than 280 others injured in a stampede sparked by an explosion at a high school in the Central African Republic (CAR), the authorities have reported.
The blast occurred on Wednesday at Barthelemy Boganda High School in the capital, Bangui, following repair works on an electrical transformer that had suffered a technical fault, the Ministry of National Education said in a statement on Thursday.
'This incident triggered panic and caused several serious injuries, unfortunately resulting in some loss of life,' the ministry said in a statement.
The victims were among an estimated 5,311 candidates from six different schools who had gathered at the venue to sit for their baccalaureate exams, it added.
Local news outlet Lengo Songo reported that many of the injured students were taken to the Russian medical center in Bangui for treatment. According to the outlet, Russian medics organized an emergency response and provided free medical care to all victims.
Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera stated on X late Thursday that he mourns 'the tragic loss of 29 young lives' with a 'broken heart.'
'Over 280 injured. These were our children, full of dreams. The nation stands united in grief. May they rest in peace,' he wrote.
The government has declared three days of national mourning from Thursday to Saturday, in tribute to the victims of the tragedy.
AP cited survivors who said they heard a loud explosion from the transformer midway through the examination. Some of the victims reportedly died after jumping from the building, while others were crushed in a stampede near the crowded stairwell as students attempted to flee.
'The building shook and we were all terrified. It was everyone man for himself,' a student identified as Alvin Yaligao told the outlet.
Locals accused the government of negligence for failing to address the electrical transformer fault, with officials and workers who arrived at the scene pelted with objects by angry residents, according to AP.
'We deplore this incident, which was caused by a lack of maintenance,' Gedeon Cyr Ngaisse, the president of the school's parents' association, told journalists, calling for an investigation into the incident.
The Ministry of Education has said measures will be taken to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
16 hours ago
- Russia Today
Dozens killed in high school stampede in African country (VIDEO)
At least 29 schoolchildren have been killed and more than 280 others injured in a stampede sparked by an explosion at a high school in the Central African Republic (CAR), the authorities have reported. The blast occurred on Wednesday at Barthelemy Boganda High School in the capital, Bangui, following repair works on an electrical transformer that had suffered a technical fault, the Ministry of National Education said in a statement on Thursday. 'This incident triggered panic and caused several serious injuries, unfortunately resulting in some loss of life,' the ministry said in a statement. The victims were among an estimated 5,311 candidates from six different schools who had gathered at the venue to sit for their baccalaureate exams, it added. Local news outlet Lengo Songo reported that many of the injured students were taken to the Russian medical center in Bangui for treatment. According to the outlet, Russian medics organized an emergency response and provided free medical care to all victims. Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera stated on X late Thursday that he mourns 'the tragic loss of 29 young lives' with a 'broken heart.' 'Over 280 injured. These were our children, full of dreams. The nation stands united in grief. May they rest in peace,' he wrote. The government has declared three days of national mourning from Thursday to Saturday, in tribute to the victims of the tragedy. AP cited survivors who said they heard a loud explosion from the transformer midway through the examination. Some of the victims reportedly died after jumping from the building, while others were crushed in a stampede near the crowded stairwell as students attempted to flee. 'The building shook and we were all terrified. It was everyone man for himself,' a student identified as Alvin Yaligao told the outlet. Locals accused the government of negligence for failing to address the electrical transformer fault, with officials and workers who arrived at the scene pelted with objects by angry residents, according to AP. 'We deplore this incident, which was caused by a lack of maintenance,' Gedeon Cyr Ngaisse, the president of the school's parents' association, told journalists, calling for an investigation into the incident. The Ministry of Education has said measures will be taken to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Russia Today
Suicide bomber attacks Orthodox church in Syrian capital
An explosion has occurred at Mar Elias Church in the Syrian capital of Damascus, multiple media outlets reported on Sunday. The Orthodox Christian church was reportedly struck by a suicide bomber during mass. At least 20 people were killed and 52 others wounded, the Syrian Health Ministry told SANA news agency in a statement. Graphic footage circulating online shows the church interior sustained considerable damage, with mangled bodies and large puddles of blood inside. The blast was followed by gunshots, eyewitnesses told the UAE-based English-language newspaper The National. The origin of the weapons fire was not immediately clear. 'I was in my car driving when I heard an explosion just as I passed the church. People started screaming and I heard gunshots,' an eyewitness told the newspaper. 'Cars and ambulances started arriving. I saw many people injured and others may have been killed.' The Syrian Interior Ministry has attributed the attack to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorist group, stating that the assailant opened fire on church goers before detonating an explosive belt, according to SANA news agency. A priest at the church gave a different account of events, stating that there were two attackers, who opened fire outside before entering and blowing themselves up. 'There were around 400 people inside the church' at the moment of the attack, he told The National.
Russia Today
05-06-2025
- Russia Today
Russia reports new railway sabotage near Ukraine
An explosive device has damaged a railway track in Russia's Voronezh Region on Thursday morning, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB). The incident follows what Moscow said were two Ukrainian 'terrorist attacks' on railroad infrastructure earlier this week in the border Bryansk and Kursk Regions that killed seven people and injured more than 100. Earlier in the day, Voronezh Region Governor Aleksandr Gusev reported disruptions to rail traffic in the area, which he said prompted several trains to halt. He explained that the driver of one of the trains 'noticed minor damage to the track,' adding 'there were no injuries.' In a statement, the FSB said the railway was damaged by an explosion which occurred 'directly in front of an approaching train.' It added that 'the professional actions of the train driver and crew, who noticed the track damage and carried out emergency braking,' prevented any severe consequences. The FSB stopped short of assigning the blame for the incident, saying that an investigation is underway. It added, though, that there are 'sufficient grounds' to open a criminal case under terrorism-related charges. The incident comes as Ukraine has significantly ramped up its attacks on Russian territory, including drone raids and sabotage attempts. Following the recent deadly train sabotage in the two Russian border regions, President Vladimir Putin called Kiev's actions 'undoubtedly a terrorist act.' He described the sabotage an 'intentional strike on the [Russian] civilian population,' suggesting that they were aimed at derailing the direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul. Putin subsequently cast doubt on whether it would make sense for Russia to continue the talks, wondering, 'Who conducts negotiations with those who rely on terror – with terrorists?'
