Eleven die in Zimbabwe church stampede

Eleven people died and 40 were injured in a stampede after a church service in the city of Kwekwe, 213 km west of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, police said Friday.

Officer Commanding Midlands Province Shadreck Mubaiwa told Xinhua that four people died on the spot while seven others died after admission at Kwekwe General Hospital following the accident at the Mbizo Stadium in the city Thursday night.

He said the stampede occurred after an abrupt end to the service at about 8 p.m. Thursday, with the 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 firing tear gas into the restive crowd.