At least 20 people were killed in a stampede during a church service in Moshi town, Tanzania, according to officials.
The deadly incident occurred on Saturday, February 1, 2020, while hundreds of faithful were attending a prayer service led by pastor Boniface Mwamposa.
The stampede is said to have occurred when Mwamposa poured what he said was holy oil on the floor and the crowd surged forward to touch it, hoping to be cured of sickness, according to witnesses.
Mwamposa is a popular preacher who heads the Arise and Shine Ministry in Tanzania.
“Twenty people died and 16 others were injured in the incident,” Kippi Warioba, Moshi district commissioner, told Reuters news agency by telephone. Five of those killed were children, he said.
“The stampede occurred when the worshippers were rushing to get anointed with blessed oil,” Warioba added.
Authorities said they were still assessing the situation amid fears the death toll could rise.
“The incident took place at night and there were many people, so there is a possibility that more casualties could emerge,” Warioba said.
Peter Kilewo, a witness, described the scene as “horrible”.
“People trampled on mercilessly, jostling each other with elbows,” he told AFP news agency. “It was like the preacher had thrown bundles of dollars about … and there were all these deaths!”
