KIGALI (Rwanda), Sept 6 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- At least 22 people were killed and several others injured when a fire broke out at a wedding venue in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa, on Saturday, a local official said, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
The fire erupted during a wedding reception at a building in Kinshasa's Lingwala commune, according to Lingwala Mayor Norbert Mushinga.
"After inspecting the place, I can confirm that the provisional death toll stands at 22," Mushinga told reporters in Kinshasa.
"People faced difficulties reaching the emergency exit; everyone was in a state of panic," he said.
He said an investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the fire, with an electrical fault suspected.
In a statement, Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani directed all provincial governors to conduct immediate inspections of venues hosting public events.
Shabani ordered authorities to close any establishments that do not meet safety standards.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
