The incident happened in the wee hours of Monday, September 14, 2026, in Kiryango Village, Nkungu Cell, Munyaga Sector.
Munyaga Sector Executive Secretary Munyentwari Damascene told IGIHE that the four had gone into a forest at night to brew the illicit alcohol for sale.
'They went into the forest at night to brew Kanyanga. The drum then exploded. A piece of metal struck one of them, killing him instantly. The other three are being treated at Rwamagana Hospital. They suffered serious burns,' he said.
Munyentwari warned residents against producing illicit alcohol, which is prohibited in Rwanda.
He said producing illicit alcohol is punishable by law and urged residents to avoid activities that could lead to imprisonment and financial losses for their families.
'We urge residents to sell and consume alcohol that is permitted by Rwandan law. They should stop producing illicit alcohol and other prohibited substances because anyone caught doing so is punished by law. In most cases, they are imprisoned. We urge them to stop and instead consume or sell legally permitted alcohol,' he said.
The person who died was a 20-year-old man. The three others, aged 14, 16 and 22, were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at Rwamagana Hospital.
