A devastating stampede at a high school in Bangui has left 29 students dead and over 280 injured, following an explosion that triggered mass panic during national exams.
The incident occurred at Lycée Barthélémy Boganda, where nearly 6,000 students from five schools had gathered to sit for the baccalaureate exams. According to officials, the explosion came from an electricity transformer on the ground floor that had just been repaired and reconnected to power.
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke, caused widespread alarm,” said Abel Assaye, director of Bangui Community Hospital. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as students scrambled to escape through narrow exits, with some leaping from windows in desperation.
One survivor, still in shock, told the BBC: “I don’t even remember what happened… I immediately fell into a daze”. Another student, Magloire, recounted how the blast struck during a history and geography exam: “The students wanted to save their lives… the door was really small. Not everyone could get out”.
President Faustin Archange Touadéra has declared a national period of mourning and ordered free medical care for the injured. Education Minister Aurelien Simplice Kongbelet Zimgas expressed condolences and announced the suspension of all further exams pending investigation.
The tragedy has sparked public outrage, with many blaming poor infrastructure and government negligence. The Central African Republic, already grappling with political instability and armed conflict, now faces renewed scrutiny over safety in public institutions.
This heartbreaking event has cast a long shadow over the nation’s youth and education system what should have been a milestone day turned into a national nightmare.
