At least 22 people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out during a wedding celebration in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The fire erupted late Friday night at a building in the Lingwala district of northern Kinshasa.
The blaze continued into the early hours of Saturday, trapping people inside the building as they tried to escape.
Witnesses said panic spread quickly as wedding guests rushed toward the exits.
The building’s narrow hallways became heavily congested, making it difficult for people to reach safety.
Several victims were carried outside by witnesses and other attendees. Injured survivors and bodies were seen along the roadside as rescue efforts continued.
Death Toll Could Rise
Lingwala Mayor Norbert Mushinga said the provisional death toll had reached 22.
He warned that the number could increase as rescue and recovery operations continued.
Several other people were reportedly injured in the fire and taken for medical treatment.
Authorities have not yet established what caused the blaze.
Emergency teams continued working at the scene to assess the damage and determine whether additional victims remained inside the building.
The incident has shocked the local community and raised fresh concerns about fire safety in densely populated areas of Kinshasa.
Authorities Call Fire a Tragedy
Congo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani visited the scene on Saturday morning.
Describing the incident as a tragedy, Shabani inspected the affected area as authorities worked to respond to the disaster.
Officials are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire, including how it started and why so many people struggled to escape.
The investigation could also examine the building’s emergency exits and safety arrangements.
Kinshasa Faces Repeated Fire Disasters
Deadly fires remain a recurring problem in densely populated parts of Kinshasa.
The city has experienced rapid urban growth, often without sufficient emergency infrastructure.
Limited firefighting capacity and difficult access to crowded neighbourhoods can make it harder for emergency services to respond quickly when fires break out.
Local media have reported several fires across Kinshasa this year, particularly during the dry season.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns about fire prevention, emergency preparedness and safety standards in public buildings.
As rescue and recovery operations continue, authorities are working to establish the full scale of the damage and determine the exact cause of the deadly blaze.
