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Key Points

A deadly stampede erupted at a Bangui high school after a transformer explosion terrified exam candidates. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as students trampled one another while fleeing. President Touadera announced national mourning and pledged an investigation into the incident. The tragedy highlights infrastructure risks in CAR’s education system.

Key Points: 19 Killed in Bangui School Stampede After Transformer Explosion

  • Stampede occurred during exams after transformer explosion caused mass panic
  • Over 5,300 candidates were present at the school
  • CAR President Touadera declared 3-day national mourning
  • Judicial probe launched to determine cause of the blast
2 min read

Nearly 20 killed in stampede at high school in Central African Republic's capital

A power transformer blast triggered panic at Barthelemy Boganda High School during exams, leaving nearly 20 dead as students fled in chaos.

"We heard a loud explosion... Several classmates fell and couldn’t get back up. – Rufin Pandama, student"

Bangui, June 26

Nearly 20 people were killed and several others injured in a stampede triggered by a power transformer explosion at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), on Wednesday, the country's National Assembly said in a statement on Thursday.

The National Assembly said the explosion caused panic among exam candidates, resulting in a stampede as they attempted to flee. The victims were taken to various medical facilities in the capital.

"We were in the middle of the exam when we heard a loud explosion. Everyone started running in all directions. Several classmates fell and couldn't get back up," said Rufin Pandama, a student who was present at the scene.

The two examination centres at the school were assigned a total of 5,311 candidates. So far, an official and comprehensive casualty report has yet to be released. Local media reported that the accident claimed the lives of at least 29 students.

According to a statement issued Wednesday by the Ministry of National Education, following a technical malfunction earlier in the day, a team from Energie Centrafricaine (ENERCA) was dispatched to carry out repair work. The explosion occurred when power was being restored, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a video address, CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera declared a three-day national mourning period starting Thursday, in memory of the victims of the tragic explosion.

The President extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, teachers, and the broader educational community affected by the tragedy, and announced the launch of a judicial investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident and identify those responsible.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is absolutely heartbreaking 💔. Students writing exams should be in the safest environment possible. The CAR government must ensure proper infrastructure maintenance to prevent such tragedies. My prayers for the victims' families.
R
Rahul S.
Tragic incident, but makes me appreciate our Indian disaster management systems. We've had our share of stampedes but at least our electrical infrastructure in schools is generally safer. Hope CAR learns from this and improves safety standards.
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Ananya M.
So many young lives lost... This shows how developing nations need more international support for basic infrastructure. India should consider offering technical assistance to CAR in power sector reforms. We have the expertise!
V
Vikram J.
While the tragedy is unfortunate, I wonder why there weren't proper emergency exits and evacuation drills in place. In our Indian schools, we regularly have disaster preparedness exercises. Basic safety measures could have saved lives.
S
Sunita P.
My heart goes out to the parents who sent their children to school only to never see them again 😢. This should serve as a wake-up call for all developing countries to prioritize school safety audits. Education is important, but safety comes first!
K
Karan D.
The report mentions 20 deaths while local media says 29. Such discrepancies show the need for better crisis communication systems. India has made progress in this area - maybe we can share our NDMA protocols with CAR authorities.

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