HARARE, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people died and 40 others were injured Thursday night after a stampede at a church service in the city of Kwekwe, about 213 kilometres west of the capital Harare, police said Friday.
Officer Commanding Midlands Province Senior Assistant Commissioner Shadreck Mubaiwa told Xinhua that four people died on the spot while seven others died on admission at Kwekwe General Hospital after the accident at the Mbizo Stadium in the city.
He said the stampede occurred after an abrupt end to the service at about 8 pm Thursday, with an estimated 30,000 people in attendance forced to use only one exit point.
Mubaiwa said the stadium was overcrowded as it can only accommodate 7,000 people.
"People died as a result of stampeding. There was only one exit point for the people and this resulted in commotion and stampede as all people wanted to leave at the same time," he said while denying reports that police caused the stampede by throwing tear gas into the restive crowd.
The service is led by Walter Magaya who is famous for drawing huge crowds to his church gatherings in the country.
