Fire at wedding ceremony leaves 22 dead

A wedding celebration in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ended in tragedy. According to preliminary reports, a fire that broke out in a banquet hall in the Lingvala commune during the night from September 4 to September 5 resulted in the deaths of 22 people, with many others injured.

The incident occurred at the Panacée banquet hall, located on the ground floor of a building on Triomphal Boulevard. A wedding ceremony was taking place in the hall at the time of the fire. The victims were taken to several hospitals in Kinshasa, including the Vijana, Cinquantenaire, and Camp Kokolo medical facilities.

Norbert Mushiga Nzindula, mayor of the Lingvala commune, stated that as of the morning of September 5, the death toll stood at 22. However, this figure is preliminary, and the number of fatalities may rise.

The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. According to preliminary data, difficulties in quickly evacuating people exacerbated the tragedy. The hall had only a single exit door, which was too narrow for a large number of guests to exit simultaneously.

Panic and thick smoke following the outbreak of the fire further worsened the situation.

An investigation into the incident is underway. Authorities are taking measures to determine the cause of the fire and to inspect compliance with safety requirements in banquet halls.