Wedding celebration in DR Congo ends in tragedy as fire kills 22

A fire broke out during a wedding celebration in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 22 people, according to Norbert Mushiga Nzindula, mayor of the Lingwala municipality.

“As of the morning of September 5, 2026, preliminary data indicate that 22 people have died, while numerous injured people have been hospitalized,” he told Actualite.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established. However, according to the mayor, the high number of fatalities was linked to the fact that guests had only one narrow exit through which to evacuate. Panic and thick smoke further worsened the situation.

The injured were taken to hospitals, while authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

By Jeyhun Aghazada