Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have launched an investigation into a fire that killed at least 22 people at a wedding celebration in the capital, Kinshasa.
The fire broke out late Friday night at a building in the Lingwala municipality and continued into the early hours of Saturday, trapping guests inside the venue.
Reports said narrow hallways became congested as panicked guests attempted to escape the flames, hampering efforts to reach safety.
Lingwala Mayor Norbert Nzindula, who inspected the scene on Saturday, said the venue appeared to have violated basic safety regulations.
“We have just inspected the venue here, and it is clear that the [safety] norms are not being respected,” Nzindula told reporters.
He said the emergency exit was difficult to access, contributing to the chaos as people tried to flee.
“Even the emergency exit: as you can see, people had difficulty getting to safety; everyone was in a state of panic. This is regrettable,” he said.
Nzindula added that authorities would take action and introduce measures to ensure that other event venues across Lingwala and the wider Kinshasa province comply with safety regulations.
Deadly fires are a recurring problem in some densely populated parts of Kinshasa, where buildings are often constructed without adequate fire-safety provisions and emergency services.
Local media reports indicate that several fires have already been recorded in the city this year, with the situation often worsening during the dry season.
Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the blaze and determine whether safety violations contributed to the deaths.
