At least 20 people between the ages of 18 and 20 were found dead in a tavern early in East London, South Africa, on Sunday morning, according to authorities.
South African police received a call reporting the tavern deaths at about 4 a.m., according to Unathi Binqose, the spokesman for the Department of Community Safety in Eastern Cape Province, who stated that initial reports suggest the club had been overcrowded and there was a stampede inside the club, according to the New York Times.
“We really cannot understand what has happened here,” Premier Oscar Mabuyane told reporters. “It just can’t be. It should not happen like this.”
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The tavern had hosted a party on Saturday night to celebrate South Africa dropping its mask mandate for public places, which had been in place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The party also had a pair of DJs celebrating both of their birthdays that evening, Binqose said.
The owners of the tavern told investigators the bouncers had closed the doors to try to control the size of the crowd, as the party “attracted huge numbers — more than the tavern can accommodate,” according to Binqose.
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People outside the tavern were said to have tried to push their way into the club, and someone had released pepper spray into the crowd, setting off a panic. Those reports have not yet been confirmed by police, as “there are a lot of stories flying around,” Binqose said.
Police have seized surveillance footage taken at the bar.
