A bridge at a mine in southeastern Congo collapsed under heavy overcrowding, killing at least 32 people, officials said Sunday. The structure gave way on Saturday at the Kalando mine in Mulondo in Lualaba province, Interior Minister Roy Kaumba Mayonde told reporters.
He said illegal diggers had forced their way into the quarry despite a ban prompted by heavy rainfall and growing landslide risks. A report from the government mining agency SAEMAPE said gunfire from soldiers sparked panic among miners who crowded onto the bridge.
The agency said the collapse left victims “piled on top of each other,” and estimated the death toll at no fewer than 40. It noted that the mine has long been embroiled in disputes involving wildcat miners, a cooperative overseeing operations, and the site’s legal operators.
Congo remains the world’s top producer of cobalt, a mineral essential for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and electronic devices. Chinese companies control most of the country’s cobalt production, shaping a sector burdened by allegations of child labour, unsafe practices, and pervasive corruption.
The tragedy comes as violence continues to scar the mineral-rich east, where government forces and armed groups battle for territory. The resurgence of the Rwanda-backed M23 has deepened insecurity and worsened a humanitarian crisis already felt across the region.