At least 22 people died and several others were injured in a fire that broke out during a wedding party in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The incident occurred late Friday night in a building located in Lingwala, a northern district of the city, and continued into the early hours of Saturday.

Norbert Mushinga, the regional mayor of Lingwala, reported the provisional death toll on Saturday, adding that the number of casualties could increase as rescue efforts continue. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as attendees attempted to flee through narrow hallways, which became congested and impeded escape. Emergency responders and bystanders were seen assisting both those who had survived and those who were critically injured, with some victims laid by the roadside outside the building.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, fires frequently occur in Kinshasa’s densely populated neighborhoods, where infrastructure challenges and insufficient fire prevention measures contribute to the risk. Urban development in many parts of the city has often proceeded without adequate provisions for emergency services, exacerbating vulnerabilities during such incidents.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the fire as they continue to provide medical care to the injured and assess the full extent of the damage. The community and local government are grappling with the tragedy amid calls for improved safety standards to prevent similar disasters in the future.