Thousands were sitting for their baccalaureate exams when the incident triggered a deadly panic
- At least 29 students were killed and over 260 injured during a stampede at a high school in Bangui.
- An electrical transformer exploded as 5,300 students were taking their baccalaureate exams.
- Students believed the building was collapsing, triggering panic and mass flight.
- The government has declared three days of national mourning and launched an investigation.
At least 29 students were killed and more than 260 injured in a stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, after an electrical transformer exploded during national baccalaureate exams on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
According to the Associated Press and the BBC, the explosion occurred while more than 5,300 students from five schools were sitting the exam. The explosion and resulting smoke caused panic among students, many of whom feared the building was collapsing.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene in which students scrambled to flee, with some reportedly jumping from the first floor. One student told the BBC: “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.”
Alvin Yaligao, another student, recounted the moment to the Associated Press: “The building shook and we were all terrified. It was every man for himself.”
The Ministry of Health confirmed that 16 of the deceased were girls, and most of the students died on the scene. Injured students were transported by ambulance, motorbike, and even in the back of pickup trucks, according to BBC reports.
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, speaking from Brussels where he was attending a global vaccine summit, expressed condolences in a video on his party’s Facebook page and declared three days of national mourning. He ordered free medical treatment for all injured students.
In a statement on Facebook, Minister Kongbelet-Zimgas confirmed the government is launching an investigation and paused the national exam program until further notice.
UN peacekeepers and local security personnel were seen guarding the school and hospitals in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Community Outrage and Political Fallout
Members of the local community, including parents of students, have blamed the government for negligence. Gédéon Cyr Ngaïssé, president of the school’s parents’ association, stated: “We deplore this incident which was caused by a lack of maintenance.”
The Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution (BRDC), a coalition of opposition parties, issued a statement condemning “the irresponsibility of the authorities in place, who have failed in their duty to ensure the safety of students and school infrastructure.”
Background Context
The Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest nations, plagued by political instability and years of civil conflict. While government forces have regained control over major cities with the help of Rwandan troops and Wagner mercenaries, tensions remain high, particularly ahead of the country’s upcoming municipal and presidential elections later this year.
UN observers are calling for urgent institutional reforms to the country’s electoral authority and warning of growing tensions between the government and opposition groups.
(With inputs from BBC, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse)
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