Panic and tragedy struck a high school in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, after an electrical explosion during national exams triggered a deadly stampede that claimed the lives of 29 students.

The victims were among over 5,300 candidates sitting for the baccalaureat on Wednesday when a transformer blew up, sparking fear and chaos.

The explosion occurred early Wednesday afternoon, sending shockwaves through the packed examination center.

As smoke and panic filled the air, students and exam supervisors scrambled for safety, with some leaping from the first floor of the school building. One of the survivors, 20-year-old Michael Jordy Yerima, said he fractured his foot after jumping out of a window.

"Around me, there were other injured students, and some died on the spot," he said.

The Health Ministry confirmed the death toll, citing records from city hospitals. A source from the ministry said the health facilities were overwhelmed as injured students arrived by ambulance, motorcycle taxis, and even on pickup trucks.

“The hospital was overwhelmed by people to the point of obstructing caregivers and ambulances,” the source said.

In response to the disaster, President Faustin Archange Touadera, who was in Brussels attending a vaccine summit, declared three days of national mourning.

“I would like to express my solidarity and compassion to the parents of the deceased candidates, to the educational staff, to the students,” the president said in a video posted on his party's Facebook page.

UN peacekeepers, police, and security officers were deployed around Barthelemy Boganda High School and nearby hospitals to manage the situation. Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zingas assured the public that an investigation would be launched.

“Measures will be taken quickly to shed light on the circumstances of this incident,” he said, adding that a separate statement would be issued regarding the resumption of the exams.

Meanwhile, grief and frustration spread among students and parents. Authorities on Thursday banned a candlelight vigil planned by students who wanted to honour their classmates. Angry residents also staged a protest against the national energy company, Enerca, blaming it for the explosion.

Colette Hiporo, a mother of two injured students aged 17 and 19, expressed her pain and frustration.

“Raising children in these conditions, with misery, tears and without resources, is already a real struggle. Officials are underpaid and we can’t live well. What happened is very serious,” she said.

Yerima also criticised the conduct of the school staff during the panic. “After the explosion which shook the building, the supervisors, who were supposed to control us, were the first to start fleeing,” he said.

The Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution (BRDC), an opposition coalition, condemned the incident and blamed the authorities for neglecting school safety. They accused the government of failing in its duty to protect students and maintain public infrastructure.

The Central African Republic continues to face immense challenges, with widespread poverty, weak infrastructure and a history of political instability.

While violence in the capital has lessened, parts of the country still suffer sporadic clashes between armed groups and national forces, which are supported by foreign allies.

As the country prepares for municipal, legislative, and presidential elections later this year, the tragedy has further intensified public scrutiny on governance and public safety.