Tragedy Strikes: Explosion and Stampede at Central African Republic School

At least 29 schoolchildren were killed and over 250 injured due to an explosion and a subsequent stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, Central African Republic. The incident occurred when power was being restored to a malfunctioning electrical transformer during exams with approximately 5,000 students present.

A catastrophic explosion followed by a stampede has claimed the lives of at least 29 schoolchildren and injured more than 250 at a high school in Central African Republic's capital, Bangui. This tragic incident unfolded at Barthelemy Boganda High School on Wednesday.

The explosion erupted as technicians attempted to restore power to an electrical transformer on the school grounds, which had previously failed. With the power surge, chaos ensued among the estimated 5,000 students present for higher education exams, leading to a deadly stampede.

According to the Ministry of Health, most of the victims, including 16 girls, died immediately at the scene, with others succumbing to their injuries later in hospital. The Ministry of National Education and health authorities are actively treating over 260 students in various facilities as investigations are underway to assess the precise circumstances of this disaster.

(With inputs from agencies.)