Survivors have been taken to nearby hospitals, and footage of the scene shows children lying on hospital floors in pain. Rebel‑appointed authorities released a provisional death toll of 24 on Thursday evening, confirming previous reports, but there are fears that more people may have died. Meanwhile the government in Kinshasa released a statement on X, without specifying numbers of casualties. The tragedy follows a similar fire in Kinshasa last weekend, where residents died in a stampede at a wedding banquet hall. In response, the government has ordered strict safety measures and deployed teams nationwide to enforce standards at public gathering places.
