Central African Republic exam crush: Panic following blast kills 29 pupils in Bangui
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29 pupils taking high school exams killed in C.Africa crush
Just over 5,300 students were sitting the second day of the baccalaureate exams in Bangui. The injured were transported by ambulance, on the back of pickup trucks or by motorbike taxi. The Central African Republic is among the poorest countries in the world and has endured a succession of coups, authoritarian rulers and civil wars. The government has secured the main cities and violence has subsided in recent years. But fighting occasionally erupts in remote regions between rebels and the national army and Rwandan troops, which is backed by the U.S. and the EU.
BANGUI, Central African Republic — Twenty-nine students taking their high school exams in the Central African Republic died in a stampede sparked by an exploding power transformer, the health ministry told AFP Thursday.
Just over 5,300 students were sitting the second day of the baccalaureate exams at the time of the explosion early Wednesday afternoon in Bangui, the capital of the deeply poor nation.
In the ensuing panic, supervisors and students tried to flee, some jumping from the first floor of the school.
The injured were transported by ambulance, on the back of pickup trucks or by motorbike taxi, AFP journalists saw.
“I would like to express my solidarity and compassion to the parents of the deceased candidates, to the educational staff, to the students,” President Faustin Archange Touadera said in a video published on his party’s Facebook page.
Touadera, who is attending a summit of the Gavi vaccine alliance in Brussels, also announced three days of national mourning.
According to a document circulating on social media and authenticated by the health ministry, 29 deaths were registered by hospitals in the city.
“The hospital was overwhelmed by people to the point of obstructing caregivers and ambulances, a health ministry source stated.
UN peacekeepers, police and other security were seen around the Barthelemy Boganda high school and hospitals.
Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zingas said in a statement Wednesday that “measures will be taken quickly to shed light on the circumstances of this incident.”
The minister added that a further statement would follow regarding selection of a date for the students to resume their exams program.
The Republican Bloc for the Defense of the Constitution (BRDC), a coalition of opposition parties, condemned what it termed “the irresponsibility of the authorities in place, who have failed in their duty to ensure the safety of students and school infrastructure.”
The CAR is among the poorest countries in the world and, since independence from France in 1960, has endured a succession of coups, authoritarian rulers and civil wars.
The latest civil war started more than a decade ago. The government has secured the main cities and violence has subsided in recent years.
But fighting occasionally erupts in remote regions between rebels and the national army, which is backed by Wagner mercenaries and Rwandan troops.
Municipal, legislative, and presidential elections are scheduled for August and December of this year but UN experts are calling for urgent institutional reform of the electoral authority before the polls and for “transparent internal governance,” as tensions between the government and the opposition intensify. — Agence France-Presse
Central African Republic exam crush: Panic following blast kills 29 pupils in Bangui
Crush kills 29 pupils taking exams after blast in Central Africa. More than 280 people were sent to hospital after the crush. Almost 6,000 students were sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui. The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building. The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.
More than 280 people were sent to hospital after the crush
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke” caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.
The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital.
Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crush after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director told the BBC.
He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crush get free treatment in hospital.
Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam.
The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building, that had been undergoing repairs.
“I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates,” Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas said in a statement.
He also announced the suspension of further exams.
Radio France Internationale spoke to one of the survivors whose face was covered in blood after he had climbed out of a window.
Magloire explained that the blast happened during the history and geography exam.
“The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out,” he told RFI.
The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.
Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra’s administration.
Crush kills 29 pupils taking exams after blast in Central Africa
The blast occurred on the second day of the high-school finals in Bangui. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning. More than 280 who were wounded in the crush get free treatment in the hospital.
Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crush after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director told the BBC.
The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital.
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke,” caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning.
He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crush get free treatment in the hospital.
Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam.
The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.
Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra’s administration
Crush kills 29 pupils taking exams after blast in Central Africa
More than 280 people were sent to hospital after the blast in Bangui. President Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning. The explosion happened after power was restored at the main building. The students were taking the history and geography exam at a school in the centre of the city. The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges, with armed groups threatening to overthrow the government. The country’s president has also announced the suspension of all further exams in the country.
Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crush after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director told the BBC.
The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital.
“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke” caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning.
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He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crush get free treatment in hospital.
Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam.
The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building, that had been undergoing repairs.
“I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates,” Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas said in a statement.
He also announced the suspension of further exams.
Radio France Internationale spoke to one of the survivors whose face was covered in blood after he had climbed out of a window.
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Magloire explained that the blast happened during the history and geography exam.
“The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out,” he told RFI.
The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.
Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra’s administration.
[Getty Images/BBC]
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