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| Photo Credit: Reuters via BBC. |
No fewer than 22 persons were found dead in a nightclub in South Africa’s East London city, the BBC cited local media report.
The bodies
were found on Sunday at the Enyobeni Tavern early on Sunday while an undisclosed
number is said to be injured.
"The
circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation as we
speak," a police spokesman told the Newzroom Africa television channel, according
to the BBC.
"We do
not want to make any speculations at this stage," Brigadier Tembinkosi
Kinana said.
Reports say
relatives of victims are unable to see their bodies just as locals called for the
venue to be closed.
In a
statement Eastern Cape Police Commissioner Nomthetheleli Lilian Mene who appeared
at the scene told SABC News that "there was an alleged stamped inside the
tavern", according to the BBC.
Kinana also
told reporters that most of the dead were young adults aged between 18 and 20.
According to
the BBC, eyewitnesses told the Daily Dispatch newspaper that bodies were lying
inside the venue as if they had collapsed on the floor.
Several
emergency services have arrived at the scene as authorities struggle to unravel
the cause of the incidence.
It is not
clear what led to the alleged stampede but officials say there were no signs
that happened. Some believe it could be some sort of poisoning.
A provincial
safety official told AFP news agency that a stampede had been ruled out as the
cause of death as there were "no visible wounds," according to the
BBC.
"Forensic
[investigators] will take samples and test to see if there was any poisoning of
any sort," Unathi Binqose said.