At least 22 people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out at a wedding reception in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Saturday, Xinhua reported.
The blaze erupted at a building housing a reception hall in the Lingwala commune of Kinshasa while the wedding was taking place.
Lingwala commune chief Norbert Mushinga said the death toll was provisional and could rise as authorities continue assessing the situation.
“The fire also destroyed property inside the building.
“Several injured victims were rushed to hospitals around Kinshasa for treatment,” he told reporters at the scene.
Mushinga said the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
Authorities are investigating the incident to establish what sparked the blaze, including the possibility of an electrical fault and the use of decorative materials at the venue.
