On Saturday, a fire erupted during a wedding reception in the Lingwala community of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 22 people and injuring several others.
Mayor Norbert Mushinga reported that the provisional death toll stood at 22 after an inspection of the scene, while guests panicked and struggled to reach the emergency exit.
Injured attendees were taken to various health facilities across the city, and property inside the building was destroyed. Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the blaze, with an electrical fault suspected.
Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani has ordered provincial governors to inspect all venues used for public gatherings and to close any that are operating in breach of safety requirements.
