29 students killed, over 280 injured after transformer blast triggers stampede
Twenty-nine students taking their final school exams were killed in a deadly crush in Bangui on Wednesday, following a loud explosion near the exam centre, officials said.
The blast, which occurred at an electricity transformer near Lycée Barthélémy Boganda, sparked panic among nearly 6,000 students gathered for the baccalaureate exams, according to hospital director Abel Assaye.
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke,” caused the stampede, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning and ordered free hospital care for the more than 280 injured.
Students from five different schools had assembled at the venue in the capital to sit for the high-stakes national exams.
The tragedy comes amid ongoing political instability in the Central African Republic, where government forces and Russian mercenaries continue to battle armed groups.
Authorities are investigating the incident and reviewing safety measures at large public gatherings.