At least 29 students died in the Central African Republic’s capital after a transformer explosion triggered panic and a stampede at a secondary school, according to two hospital sources cited by Reuters.
The Ministry of Education stated that at the time of the incident, over 5,000 students from six different schools in the capital were taking final exams at the examination center of Barthelemy Boganda Secondary School.
“We were under intense pressure. It was a horrifying situation. Dozens of casualties kept arriving,” said a hospital official describing the scene.
Another medical source reported the death toll had reached 31 and said the explosion sounded like the building was collapsing, which sparked panic among the students.
“Because of the panic, some students even jumped from the second floor,” he said, adding that the exam-takers were approximately 18 to 22 years old.
According to the Ministry of Education’s statement, the transformer located in the school’s main building exploded after power was restored by the country’s main electricity provider, ENERCA.
The statement said the incident “led to a number of serious injuries and, unfortunately, deaths.”
The ministry pledged to investigate the causes of the incident and ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the exam session. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!
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