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 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-Zimgassaid in a statement. Radio France Internationale spoke to one of the survivorswhose 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 Go toBBCAfrica.comfor more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter@BBCAfrica, on Facebook atBBC Africaor on Instagram atbbcafrica
Panicked pupils killed in crush after blast during exam in Central Africa
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"Explosion Causes Panic During Exams, Leading to Tragic Crush in Central African Republic"
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TruthLens AI Summary
In a tragic incident in the Central African Republic, twenty-nine schoolchildren lost their lives during a crush caused by panic following an explosion near their examination site. The explosion occurred at an electricity transformer during the second day of high school finals, specifically affecting students at the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda in the capital city of Bangui. According to Abel Assaye, the director of the Bangui community hospital, the blast created an atmosphere of fear, exacerbated by smoke, which caused nearly 6,000 students sitting for the baccalaureate exam to flee in panic. The government has confirmed that over 280 students were injured during the chaotic escape, prompting President Faustin-Archange Touadéra to declare a national mourning period and ensure that the injured receive free medical treatment.
The Ministry of Education reported that the explosion occurred after power was restored to the transformer, which had been undergoing repairs. Eyewitness accounts describe the chaos as students attempted to escape through a small door, with some survivors recounting the horrific scene as they witnessed their peers being trapped. One survivor, identified as Magloire, shared his experience of climbing out of a window, stating that the blast occurred during a history and geography exam. The ongoing instability in the Central African Republic, marked by political turmoil and security threats from armed groups, adds another layer of concern for the nation as it grapples with the aftermath of this devastating event. Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgassa expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, emphasizing the need for support and recovery for the affected students.
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