France, Sept. 11 -- The blaze began near a school in Kadutu, a densely populated neighbourhood overlooking the city, while children were in lessons.

It spread from nearby homes to two school complexes, causing pupils to panic as the flames approached. Some were trampled in the rush to escape.

"This was followed by a violent stampede that forced students to trample over one another or look for a dangerous way out; many of them fainted and others lost consciousness," local leader Patrice Buduge said. People walk amid the charred remains of homes near a primary school and a secondary school in Bukavu where a deadly fire broke out,

At least 17 children killed after fire rips through Kenyan primary school Deadly stampede

The provisional to...