At least 100 killed, 150 injured in fire at Iraq wedding party
September 27, 2023 - PatialaPolitics
At least 100 killed, 150 injured in fire at Iraq wedding party
Hundreds of people were celebrating in Al-Hamdaniya in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province when fire tore through the venue late on Tuesday evening.
It is not yet known what caused the blaze, but early reports say it broke out after fireworks were lit.
Flammable panels in the venue may have fuelled the flames, causing parts of the ceiling to catch fire and fall.
“The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable, low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when fire breaks out,” Iraq’s civil defence directorate said, quoted by state news agency INA.
It was not clear if the bride and the groom were among the victims. Initial reports in Iraqi media said they had died in the blaze, with news agency Nina later reporting that they were alive but were being treated for burns.
A photo posted by Nina showed dozens of firefighters battling the fire, and pictures from local journalists on social media show the charred-out remains of inside the event hall.
Firefighters could be seen climbing over the wreckage of the building in search of survivors on Wednesday morning.