A devastating fire at a wedding party in Hamdaniya district in Iraq’s Nineveh province has left more than 100 people dead and 150 injured. The fire broke out after fireworks were ignited during the celebration, causing the event hall to be engulfed in flames. Rescue teams worked tirelessly to search for survivors amidst the charred remains of the building. Eyewitnesses described the horror of seeing the fire pulsating and trapping those who couldn’t escape. Preliminary investigations suggest that the building’s highly flammable construction materials contributed to its rapid collapse.
The Deputy Governor of Nineveh, Hassan al-Allaq, confirmed the death toll of 113 people, while state media reported at least 100 fatalities. Ambulances and medical crews from both federal Iraqi authorities and Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region rushed to the scene to provide assistance. The building caught fire at around 10:45 p.m. local time, with hundreds of people present at the time of the incident.
Videos captured by a Reuters correspondent show firefighters painstakingly searching through the ruins of the burned-out venue illuminated by their flashlights. This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from negligence in handling fireworks or constructing buildings with highly flammable materials. As the community grapples with the loss, efforts will continue to investigate the causes of the fire and support the injured and families of the deceased.
