Dar es Salaam, April 19 -- DR CONGO: THE number of people who died after a motorized wooden boat caught fire and capsized in the Congo River in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 148, officials said on Friday.

The death toll from the accident that took place on Tuesday earlier stood at 50, though there were fears the number would rise since the boat packed some 500 passengers, according to an official of Equateur province.

The catastrophe began when a fire started while a person was cooking on board the vessel, said Competent Loyoko, the river commissioner.

The fire broke out near Mbandaka city in the Equateur Province, at the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers.

Officials said that several passengers, i...