A devastating fire occurred at a wedding hall in northern Iraq, claiming the lives of over 100 individuals and leaving 150 others injured. This tragic incident took place in the Hamdaniya area of Nineveh province, which is predominantly inhabited by Christians. The location is situated just outside Mosul, approximately 205 miles northwest of the capital city, Baghdad.
The cause of the fire is yet to be officially determined, but initial reports from Rudaw, a Kurdish television news channel, suggest that fireworks at the venue may have triggered the blaze.
The regional rescue service office revealed that fireworks ignited a fire inside the wedding hall, leading to the entrapment of more than 700 guests. The intensity of the fire also caused a portion of the hall’s ceiling to collapse.
Television footage captured the wedding hall in a state of destruction, with charred debris and a distressed man shouting at firefighters.
Health Ministry spokesman, Saif al-Badr, provided the casualty figures through the state-run Iraqi News Agency. “All efforts are being made to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate accident,” al-Badr expressed.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has issued an order for the investigation of the fire. He has also requested the Interior and Health officials of the country to provide assistance to those affected. The statement was posted on his office’s online platform.
Najim al-Jubouri, the provincial governor of Nineveh, disclosed that some of the injured individuals have been transferred to nearby hospitals. However, the final tally of casualties is yet to be determined, suggesting that the death toll may increase.
Civil defense officials quoted by the Iraqi News Agency described the wedding hall’s exterior as adorned with highly flammable cladding, a construction material that is prohibited in the country.
“The fire resulted in the collapse of parts of the hall due to the utilization of highly flammable and inexpensive building materials, which crumble within minutes during a fire outbreak,” stated the civil defense authorities.
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