At least seven killed, several others injured during a stampede at Congo music concert

A stampede during a music concert at the 80,000-capacity Stade des Martyrs stadium in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital on Saturday recorded at least seven deaths and several others injured, authorities said.

Kinshasa Gov. Daniel Bumba said the stampede occurred on Saturday, while Mike Kalambayi, a popular Congolese gospel singer, was performing.

State television RTNC said seven people were killed in the chaos and some of those injured were admitted to intensive care.

The cause of the stampede could not be readily ascertained, but authoritites said an investigation into the incident was underway. However, the local music management company that organized the event said the chaos erupted when “the security services tried to neutralize some troublemakers.”

An estimated 30,000 people attended the concert, which featured several other musicians and pastors, the management company Maajabu Gospel said in a statement.

Videos that appeared to be from the scene and broadcast of the event showed large crowds gathered outside the stadium in front of barricades as they waited to enter. Inside, people could be seen rushing to the center stage.

Congo has witnessed such stampedes in past years, often blamed on poor crowd control measures such as excessive use of force. Eleven people died in a similar crush at the same stadium last October during a music concert.