In a heart-wrenching incident in the Central African Republic, a blast near an examination venue triggered chaos, leading to the tragic deaths of 29 students. This calamity unfolded during their crucial high-school finals in Bangui.

The explosion occurred on Wednesday when an electricity transformer, undergoing repairs, malfunctioned. Abel Assaye, the director of Bangui Community Hospital, described the scene where almost 6,000 students, seated for their baccalaureate exams, were thrown into a panic. "The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke," created a frenzy, as confirmed by local radio.

In response to this catastrophe, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra declared a national mourning period, while also ensuring that the over 280 injured students receive free medical treatment.

Students from five different schools had congregated at Lycée Barthélemy Boganda to take their exams when disaster struck. The education ministry revealed that the blast happened soon after power was restored to the transformer.

Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas expressed profound condolences to the families of the deceased, while announcing the suspension of all remaining exams in the wake of the tragedy.

Survivors recounted the horrifying moments. One student recalled, "I don’t even remember what happened. We were in the exam room, and then I fell into a daze after hearing the noise." Another student, bloodied from climbing out a window, described the narrow escapes, saying, "As we fled, we saw death because there were too many people trying to get out through a small door."

The Central African Republic remains entrenched in political turmoil and security threats, with government forces and Russian mercenaries fighting against armed groups challenging President Touadéra's regime.