A devastating stampede has claimed the lives of 29 students in the Central African Republic (CAR) after an explosion sparked panic during national school exams in the capital, Bangui.
The tragedy occurred on Wednesday, the second day of the baccalaureate (high school final) exams, when an electricity transformer located on the ground floor of Lycée Barthélémy Boganda suddenly exploded. The loud blast and rising smoke triggered chaos among the nearly 6,000 students present, according to Abel Assaye, director of the Bangui Community Hospital.
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke, caused widespread panic,” local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning and ordered free medical care for the more than 280 students injured in the incident. Students from five schools had gathered at the examination centre when the explosion occurred, reportedly just after power was restored to the transformer, which had been under repair.
Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas expressed condolences to the grieving families and announced the suspension of all further exams. “I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates,” he said in a statement.
Speaking to Radio France Internationale (RFI), a bloodied survivor named Magloire described the panic. He said the explosion happened during the history and geography paper. “The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out.”
This tragic incident adds yet another layer of trauma for a nation already burdened by conflict, raising urgent questions about infrastructure safety and emergency preparedness in critical public institutions.
Melissa Enoch
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