Kinshasa power cable collapse
| Date | 2 February 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Type | power cable collapse |
| Deaths | 26 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
On 2 February 2022, a power cable collapsed in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 26 people. The accident occurred at a market in Matadi-Kibala on the outskirts of the capital of the DRC. The cable fell onto houses and shoppers, with the live end landing in a ditch that was filled with rain from earlier in the day. The country's national electricity company said that it believed the cable broke because it had been hit by lightning.[1]
The victims were mostly sellers and customers at the market, but some passers-by were also killed.[2]
Kinshasa's governor Gentiny Ngobila promised to pass new laws prohibiting "anarchic construction" in response to the tragedy. The government paid and arranged for the victims' funerals.[3]
References
- ^ "DR Congo: Power cable collapse at Kinshasa market kills 26". BBC News. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ "RDC : la chute d'un câble électrique provoque la mort de 26 personnes sur un marché de Kinshasa". Le Monde (in French). Agence France-Presse. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ MarketScreener. "Congo bids painful farewell to victims of snapped power cable". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 13 February 2022.