A four-storey building under construction collapsed in Bunia on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at around 2 p.m., near the provincial governorate.
After a building under construction collapsed in the Bankoko neighborhood in Bunia, Nepalese, Indonesian, Senegalese, and Bangladeshi peacekeepers, along with MONUSCO police officers are working alongside rescue teams to find survivors. At least three people have been confirmed dead, and eight others have been rescued.
According to local sources, a four-story building under construction collapsed around 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, near the provincial governor’s office. The exact cause of the collapse has not yet been determined, although witnesses point to violations of building regulations. Contrary to early reports, heavy rain began about two hours after the incident occurred.
The exact number of people trapped under the rubble remains unknown. Eyewitnesses estimate around forty individuals may have been inside. In response to a request from the authorities, MONUSCO swiftly mobilized its teams to support the rescue operation.
On site, Indonesian peacekeepers administered first aid to the injured to stabilize their condition. Nepalese peacekeepers deployed a search and rescue team equipped with heavy machinery, medical personnel, an excavator, and technical equipment to create openings in the rubble.
Bangladeshi peacekeepers installed powerful floodlights for nighttime searches, while Senegalese troops secured the area. All MONUSCO contingents based in Bunia are actively participating in the operations, in close coordination with local authorities.
The toll from this accident remains provisional. Witnesses report that at least eight injured people were pulled from the debris and taken to various medical facilities across the city. On Thursday evening, a 15-year-old boy was found alive at around 9 p.m. and immediately transferred to a hospital. The search was interrupted later that evening due to rain and resumed Friday morning.