Many murdered in high school stampede in CAR
(MENAFN) A tragic stampede at a high school in the Central African Republic (CAR) has resulted in the deaths of at least 29 students and left over 280 injured, officials confirmed. The incident occurred on Wednesday at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the nation’s capital.
According to the Ministry of National Education, the stampede was triggered by panic after an explosion from a faulty electrical transformer that had just undergone repairs. The school was hosting approximately 5,300 students from six different institutions who were gathered to sit for their baccalaureate exams.
The sudden blast caused chaos, with many students attempting to escape by jumping from the building or crowding stairwells, resulting in a deadly crush. Survivors described the moment as terrifying. "The building shook and we were all terrified. It was everyone for themselves," a student named Alvin Yaligao told reporters.
Local media outlet Lengo Songo reported that several injured students were taken to the Russian medical center in Bangui, where Russian healthcare workers provided emergency care free of charge.
President Faustin-Archange Touadera expressed his deep sorrow on social media, lamenting the loss of young lives and declaring three days of national mourning. “These were our children, full of dreams. The nation stands united in grief,” he wrote.
Angry residents reportedly blamed the authorities for negligence, accusing them of ignoring maintenance issues related to the transformer. Government officials who arrived at the scene were met with hostility from locals.
Gedeon Cyr Ngaisse, head of the school’s parents’ association, criticized the lack of preventative action and called for a thorough investigation. The Ministry of Education has pledged to uncover the cause of the tragedy and implement necessary measures.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
