A wedding party fire in Kinshasa leaves at least 22 dead, officials say

A wedding party in Kinshasa, Congo's capital, was engulfed in flames overnight, resulting in at least 22 deaths and numerous injuries, according to regional officials. The tragic incident occurred in a building located in Lingwala, a northern area of the city. Emergency responders found the victims strewn across narrow hallways as they attempted to escape the inferno.

The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Congo's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Jacquemin Shabani, described the incident as a tragedy and emphasized that the death toll could potentially increase. Deadly fires are not uncommon in densely populated regions of Kinshasa, where urban development often outpaces essential services like fire departments.

Such fires tend to occur more frequently during the dry season, with several instances happening this year, as reported by local media outlets.