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Survivors described scenes of horror and panic to the BBC as the fire broke out
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A fire at a wedding party in Qaraqosh, northern Iraq, killed nearly 100 people and injured many more. Survivors described scenes of horror and panic to the BBC as the fire broke out.
Ghaly Nassim, 19, was just a few meters away from the AlHaitham party house when the fire broke out on Tuesday evening (September 26).
He rushed to help five of his friends who were trapped there.
“A door was blocked so we forced it open. Huge flames burst from the hallway. It was like the gates of hell opened,” he said.
“The temperature was unbearable. I can’t describe the extreme heat.”
The fire, which broke out during the bride and groom’s first dance, killed at least 94 people and injured another 100.
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Wedding fire leaves dozens dead and injured in Iraq
Civil defense officials told the BBC that the couple survived, although news reports initially suggested they had died.
Nassim described the scenes as a “true tragedy.”
“I couldn’t do anything but run away from the fire,” he said on the phone, sounding exhausted.
“After the firefighters arrived, I ran inside to look for my friends. I saw 26 bodies in the bathroom. A 12yearold girl lay completely burned in a corner.”
Iraqi Civil Defense spokesman Gawdat Abdul Rahman told the BBC that the fire was caused by fireworks set off at the town hall in the Christianmajority city.
The use of highly flammable construction materials within the site fueled the flames, he added.
Nassim believes that the lack of adequate emergency exits made the situation worse, as most guests tried to leave the hall through the main entrance, possibly leading to many of them falling and being trampled by others.
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It is believed that highly flammable material fueled the fire
Destroyed “in a few minutes”.
He said his friends had been found and were safe.
It is believed that highly flammable material fueled the fire.
One of them, 17yearold Tommy Uday, was near the exit when the fire broke out. This allowed him to escape quickly.
“I saw a big cloud of black smoke coming from the ceiling, so I ran out,” he said, adding that “the whole place was destroyed in just five minutes.”
Around 50 bodies were buried on Wednesday. The remaining bodies will be buried this Thursday (September 28th). But many people are still looking for missing family members.
Ghazwan was separated from his 33yearold wife, fouryearold son and 13yearold daughter when the fire broke out.
His other daughter, aged 10, left the salon “with burns to almost 98% of her body”, Ghazwan’s sister Eisan told the BBC.
According to her, her brother visited hospitals looking for his family.
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Survivors said the fire spread very quickly
Overloaded hospitals
At Mosul’s specialized burn medical center, doctor Waad Salem told the BBC that about 60% of those injured had suffered severe burns.
“Most burns occur on the face, chest and hands,” he said, adding that women and children were most affected.
Head nurse Israa Mohammed treated the injured overnight. She told the BBC she had seen around 200 patients.
“What I saw was very difficult,” she said.
“I saw people whose bodies were more than 90% completely burned,” she said, adding that at least 50 children were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Mohammed said the medical center lacked medical supplies and was struggling to cope with the large influx of victims.
For many like Nassim and his friends, it will be very difficult to forget the shock they experienced.
“I can’t describe what I feel,” he said.
“I know families who have lost almost all of their loved ones. At least three families no longer have anyone left. The whole community is sad, not only in Nineveh province but throughout Iraq. The whole country is sad.”