Tragedy Strikes as Fire Engulfs Wedding Celebration in Iraq, Leaving Over 100 Dead and 150 Injured
HAMDANIYA, IRAQ – In a devastating incident, a fire broke out during a wedding celebration in the district of Hamdaniya in Nineveh province, Iraq, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people and leaving 150 others injured. Iraqi state media reported the tragic event, which has shocked the nation.
The death toll was confirmed by the health department in Nineveh, stating that at least 114 individuals lost their lives in the incident. Earlier, Saif al-Badr, the spokesperson for the health ministry, had revealed that the number of injured stood at 150.
Efforts are currently underway to provide relief and support to those affected by this unfortunate accident, as stated by al-Badr. The cause of the fire was reported to be the lighting of fireworks during the wedding celebration, which quickly engulfed the large events hall in flames.
Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded at the site as firefighters battled the fire and searched for survivors among the charred wreckage. Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old who managed to escape the inferno, described the horrific scene, stating, “We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out and those who didn’t got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken.”
Eyewitnesses recounted that the building caught fire around 10:45 pm local time, with hundreds of people present during the incident. Initial investigations point to the highly flammable construction materials used in the building, which contributed to its rapid collapse.
Emergency response teams, including ambulances and medical crews, were swiftly dispatched to the site by federal Iraqi authorities and the Kurdistan region’s authorities. These teams worked tirelessly to provide medical assistance to the injured. At the main hospital in Hamdaniya, ambulances blared their sirens as they arrived, and numerous individuals gathered in the courtyard to donate blood.
The provincial governor of Nineveh, Najim al-Jubouri, stated that some of the injured had been transferred to regional hospitals. However, he cautioned that final casualty figures were yet to be determined in the aftermath of the blaze.
Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani has called on the ministers of health and the interior to mobilize all rescue efforts to aid the victims of the fire. An investigation into the incident has been announced.
Medical aid trucks have been dispatched to the area from Baghdad and other provinces, according to the ministry of health. Teams in Nineveh have been mobilized to provide care for the injured.
Qaraqosh, the predominantly Christian town east of Mosul, where the tragic incident occurred, has endured its share of hardships. In 2014, ISIS militants ransacked the town and its churches. However, it was slowly rebuilt after the group’s ouster in 2017 and even witnessed a visit by Pope Francis in March 2021.
Iraq’s construction and transport sectors have often been criticized for their disregard of safety standards. The country’s infrastructure, ravaged by decades of conflict, frequently experiences fatal fires and accidents. This incident comes just months after a fire in a Covid unit of a hospital in the country’s south claimed over 60 lives in July 2021. In April of the same year, a fire caused by exploding oxygen tanks in a Baghdad hospital dedicated to Covid patients resulted in the deaths of more than 80 individuals.
The tragic fire at the wedding celebration serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need to prioritize safety measures across various sectors in Iraq and ensure the protection and well-being of its citizens.