Volcanic eruption in Democratic Republic of Congo leaves at least 15 dead along with a trail of destruction

At least 15 people were killed after a volcano in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo erupted on Saturday night for the first time in almost two decades.

LONDON -- At least 15 people were killed after a volcano in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo erupted on Saturday night for the first time in almost two decades, officials said. Mount Nyiragongo, located in the mountains of Virunga National Park, spewed red fumes into the night sky and sent a scorching river of lava downhill toward Goma, a lakeside city of 2 million people less than 10 miles away. The Congolese government ordered residents of Goma to evacuate as fiery lava engulfed hundreds of homes and other buildings along the city's outskirts. Panicked residents began fleeing, many on foot, hours before the official evacuation notice. The lava crossed a major highway connecting Goma with the city of Beni, severing a key supply route, but ultimately stopped short of Goma's city limits.