BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — 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 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 students were injured and being treated in various hospitals, the ministry said.

An estimated 5,000 students were at the school for higher-education exams when the incident occurred.