WATCH: Inside Eastern Cape tavern before tragedy struck

Videos of what appears to be a massive party before tragedy struck at the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park in East London are emerging on social media.

Users have posted videos showing hundreds of youngers inside and outside the pub on Saturday night.

Forensic investigators are carefully combing the scene where at least 17 youngsters aged between 18-20 years old were found dead at the East London tavern.

While the cause of the deaths is unknown at this stage, Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana confirmed that 20 youngsters are now dead, seven of which were women and 13 men.

“The bodies are still on the scene, investigators are being very thorough because we don’t want people to say things have been bungled up,” said Kinana.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Police could not confirm rumours that youngsters were tear-gassed or pepper-sprayed, but Kinana did say no police officers were present at the tavern at the time of the incident.

No arrests have been made as yet and police are uncertain of precisely what charges to investigate.

Invites to a massive party at the East London pub were shared prior to the tragedy.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe