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An explosion and ensuing stampede kill 29 children in a Central African Republic school

An estimated 5,000 students were at the school for higher-education exams when the incident occurred.

8 hours ago

An explosion and the stampede that followed killed at least 29 schoolchildren and injured more than 250 at a high school in the Central African Republic’s capital city, authorities say.

The explosion occurred on Wednesday at the Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui when power was being restored to an electrical transformer within the school premises after it malfunctioned, according to the country's Ministry of National Education.

Most of the victims, including 16 girls, died at the scene after the explosion resulted in a stampede, while others were confirmed dead at the hospital, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. At least 260 were injured and being treated in various hospitals, the ministry said.