In brief
A devastating incident in Bangui, Central African Republic, resulted in the loss of 29 students during a crush triggered by an explosion from an electricity transformer.
The tragic event occurred on Wednesday, the second day of the baccalaureate exams, when the blast at the transformer caused chaos among nearly 6,000 students taking their tests at Lycée Barthélémy Boganda. According to Abel Assaye, director of Bangui community hospital, the subsequent panic led to a crush that injured over 280 individuals. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has announced a period of national mourning and mandated that all injured receive free medical treatment. The school's facility was reportedly under repair at the time of the explosion, which was said to happen shortly after power was restored. Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas expressed condolences to the grieving families and declared the suspension of all further exams indefinitely. One survivor recalled the event, saying, "I don't even remember what happened... I immediately fell into a daze." Another student, Magloire, shared harrowing details, explaining how the stampede for safety led to fatalities due to a small exit. The Central African Republic, currently grappling with political turmoil and security threats, faces additional challenges in the wake of this tragic incident.
