At least 21 people were reportedly found dead inside of a South African nightclub Sunday.
The dead bodies were strewn across chairs and tables at Enyobeni Tavern in East London, a costal town in the African nation, according to The Associated Press. There were no signs of outward injuries. A majority of the victims were 13 years old to 20 years old and were at the club to celebrate the end of their winter school exams, the outlet continued.
One alleged attendee said she snuck out of her parents house after they fell asleep so she could go to the party, Al Jazeera reported. She claimed that the tavern became overcrowded, so security guards asked people to leave, but no one did.
At least 20 people found mysteriously dead at a nightclub in South Africa. The cause of death is still unknown, local police stated.
Reports are claiming that dead bodies were found across tables and chairs without any visible signs of injuries. pic.twitter.com/4SGBi7Q0fD
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When the teenagers and others refused to leave, the guards allegedly started spraying an unknown substance into the crowd.
“The man at the door, I think he was a bouncer, he closed the door and we couldn’t breathe. We suffocated for a long time and [were] pushing each other but there was no use because some people were dying,” the young woman told Al Jazeera. (RELATED: Man Kept Son’s Body In Kitchen For Nearly 4 Years, Police Say)
“It smelled like gas. I’m not sure if it was tear gas or pepper spray. Then some people died and I also fell asleep for three hours. Then when they woke us up, they also thought I was dead,” she continued. The young woman was reportedly unable to stand after she woke up.
Authorities arrived around 4:00 a.m. after receiving a series of frantic phone calls from people at the tavern, Al Jazeera reported.
“At this point we cannot confirm the cause of death. We are going to conduct autopsies as soon as possible to establish the probable cause of death,” Health Department spokesperson Siyanda Manana said, according to The AP.
Video Reportedly Shows Bride Smiling Awkwardly As Guests Are Stretchered Out Of Cannabis-Laced Wedding Party https://t.co/6z8XdzACyq
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 25, 2022
“This tragedy is made even more grave by its occurrence during Youth Month — a time during which we celebrate young people, advocate and advance opportunities for improved socio-economic conditions for the youth of our nation,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement. He noted that it was concerning that underage children were allowed into the club.