More than 100 people have died in a fire at a wedding party in Iraq
A video shared on social media shows the moment the fire that left more than a hundred people dead and 150 injured during a wedding broke out Iraq begins there were 114 dead and 200 injured. In the content you can see that it all started with the bride and groom’s dance. Fireworks had been lit in the hall. The sparks they created eventually reached the ceiling, which immediately caught fire, causing people to leave the room. Smoke immediately begins to fill the room. Witnesses had already reported this information in statements that the fire in the Qaraqosh party room had spread with astonishing speed. According to the Interior Ministry, almost 900 guests were present. In addition to an insufficient number of emergency exits, Civil Defense complained about the use of prefabricated panels on site that were “highly flammable and violated safety standards” and quickly caught fire when in contact with the party’s fireworks.
On Thursday the 28th, dozens of believers attended a mass in Qaraqosh in memory of the victims of the fire. Photos of the victims men, women and children of all ages were lined up at Al Tahira Syrian Catholic Church on Thursday morning. As she left the mass, 55yearold Najiba Yuhana spoke about her missing relatives. “It is a deep pain. A tragedy that will never be forgotten.” “There is indescribable anger and sadness,” he added. In Iraq, safety standards are poorly adhered to in both the construction and transport sectors. The country, devastated by decades of conflict, mismanagement and corruption, is often the scene of fires or fatal domestic accidents.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani called for maximum penalties for those responsible in the area. In a statement from his office, Al Sudani “ordered that the maximum penalties be imposed on those who acted negligently in the Al Hamdaniya fire” and reiterated his order to continue inspecting public buildings, event halls, restaurants and hotels with the aim “Examine the public safety conditions, precautionary measures and measures to prevent fires and possible accidents.” Interior Minister Abdul Amir al Shammari announced that the security services managed to “arrest 14 defendants, including ten workers, the owner of the hall and three who were involved in setting off the fireworks”.
*With information from international agencies