Bujumbura, Burundi (Running Africa) — At least eight people were killed and nine others injured in a crowd crush during a large evangelical gathering in Bujumbura, Burundi’s largest city, authorities said, renewing concerns over crowd safety at major religious events across Africa.

The tragedy unfolded on Saturday night at the Senior Technical School of Kamenge, where thousands of worshippers had gathered to hear renowned Burundian preacher Chris Ndikumana.

Wall Collapse Triggers Deadly Stampede

According to police and eyewitnesses, panic erupted as attendees attempted to leave the venue after the event when a wall near an exit gate collapsed, triggering a stampede.

The sudden rush to escape led to people being knocked to the ground and trampled as the crowd surged toward the exits.

Police Say Suffocation Was Likely Cause of Death

Burundi Police said preliminary findings indicate that most of the victims showed no visible signs of physical trauma, suggesting that suffocation was the primary cause of death during the crush.

Authorities confirmed that six victims died at King Khaled Hospital, while two others were pronounced dead at a military hospital.

Emergency responders treated the injured as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continued.

Popular Preacher Yet to Comment

The event was led by Chris Ndikumana, founder of the Kanguka (Wake Up) Ministry, one of Burundi’s largest evangelical ministries.

Ndikumana, whose ministry reaches a global audience of more than one million YouTube subscribers, had not publicly commented on the tragedy at the time of publication.

Renewed Focus on Crowd Safety

The incident has renewed attention on crowd management and public safety at large religious gatherings across Africa.

In recent years, several countries on the continent have experienced fatal crowd crushes during religious services, concerts and public events, prompting calls for stricter safety planning, improved venue management and enhanced emergency response measures.

Authorities are expected to continue investigating the cause of the collapse and review safety procedures for large public gatherings as Burundi mourns one of its deadliest religious event tragedies in recent years.