Tragedy at a wedding: fire leaves at least 100 dead and many injured in Iraq
Among the victims are the bride and groom, it is rumored that the cause of the fire was fireworks
A devastating fire in northern Iraq left at least 100 people dead and another 150 injured at a wedding hall. The tragic event took place in the al Hamdaniya district, Nineveh province, during a wedding celebration on Tuesday night.
The victims included the girlfriend and boyfriend, according to initial reports.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is suspected that it may have started due to fireworks that were launched during the celebration. Images published by the Iraqi Nina news agency showed firefighters tirelessly battling the flames. Additionally, it is reported that flammable panels in the building may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, according to Iraq's civil defense directorate.
"We saw the devouring flames spreading through the corridor. Some managed to escape, while others were trapped. Even those who managed to get out were in a state of shock," said Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old survivor who managed to escape the fire.
The fire caused parts of the hall to collapse due to the use of cheap, highly flammable construction materials that collapsed within minutes of the fire starting, Iraq's Civil Defense authority said in a statement.
"Preliminary information indicates that fireworks were used during the wedding, which caused the fire in the hall," authorities added.
In a video captured at the scene by a Reuters correspondent, firefighters are seen searching through the rubble in search of possible survivors.
Eyewitnesses indicated that there were hundreds of people at the celebration when the fire broke out around 10:45 p.m. local time (7:45 p.m. GMT).
The Prime Minister of Iraq has urged government services to mobilize all available resources to provide assistance to the victims of this tragic incident, according to his office on his social networks.
The injured have been transferred to hospitals throughout the Nineveh region, according to the local governor, who made this statement to the INA agency. In Hamdaniyah, a city east of Mosul and the regional capital, dozens of people went to the main hospital to donate blood to help those injured in this heartbreaking event.