Srinagar, June 26 -- Bangui (Central African Republic), Jun 26: An explosion and the stampede that followed killed at least 29 schoolchildren and injured more than 250 at a high school in Central African Republic's capital city, authorities said Thursday.

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 tre...