GOMA, DR Congo, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people have been killed after a fire broke out on Sunday evening in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local sources.
"Fourteen people were trapped inside their houses here in the neighborhood. My sister and her children were caught by surprise. The staircase of their house was already burning, and they couldn't escape. Sadly, all of them died in the fire," said Cohozi Bahaya, a relative of one victim.
The casualty was also confirmed by local civil society.
Several others were injured in the blaze and are currently receiving treatment in hospitals across the city, according to witnesses.
While the cause of the incident, which destroyed about a dozen houses in its path, remains unknown, authorities said an investigation is underway.
Bukavu and its surrounding areas often experience fire incidents due to unregulated construction and the close proximity of buildings built without proper urban planning standards.
The city has been under the control of the March 23 Movement rebels since February 2025.
