An explosion at a school in Bangui, Central African Republic, triggered a stampede during national exams, killing 29 students, overwhelming hospitals, sparking public outrage and protests, and prompting President Touadera to declare three days of national mourning.
At least 29 high school students died in a tragic stampede on Wednesday during national exams in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. The chaos erupted after a power transformer exploded, sparking panic among more than 5,300 students taking the second day of the baccalaureat exams.
Witnesses reported scenes of desperation, with students and exam supervisors fleeing in panic—some even jumping from the first floor of the school building to escape.
Emergency services, including ambulances and private vehicles, rushed the injured to hospitals, many of which became overwhelmed due to the high number of casualties.
Michael Jordy Yerima, a 20-year-old student who jumped from a window and broke his foot, described the horror:
“There were injured students around me. Some died instantly.”
President Faustin Archange Touadera, who was in Brussels attending a Gavi vaccine summit, declared three days of national mourning, expressing solidarity with the victims’ families and the nation’s education community.
A verified health ministry document confirmed the 29 fatalities, while a ministry source said the volume of patients hindered medical staff and blocked ambulance access.
UN peacekeepers, local police, and security forces were deployed to the affected school—Barthelemy Boganda High School—and to hospitals treating the wounded.
Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zingas promised a full investigation into the incident and said a new exam schedule would be announced soon.
Authorities banned a planned candlelight vigil, while public anger turned toward Enerca, the national power company, with citizens staging protests over its alleged negligence.
Colette Hiporo, mother of two injured teens, said:
“Raising children in misery and hardship is already difficult. What happened is tragic beyond words.”
Survivor Yerima added:
“After the explosion, the supervisors meant to protect us were the first to run.”
The Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution (BRDC), an opposition alliance, condemned what it called the government’s failure to ensure student safety.
The Central African Republic, one of the world’s poorest countries, has long grappled with political instability, military coups, and armed conflict. While violence has eased in major cities, clashes still erupt in remote areas between rebel groups and forces backed by Wagner mercenaries and Rwandan troops.
With national elections scheduled for August and December 2025, the UN has called for urgent electoral reforms and greater transparency, warning of rising tensions between the government and opposition.
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