In Iraq, what should have been a holiday celebration it became a tragedy when fireworks used at a wedding ceremony caused destructive fire which left at least 114 people dead and more than 200 injured.

In a video circulated on social networks, you can see moments before disaster. In the video, the couple appeared to be glowing. surrounded by friends and familyEnjoying the moment.

You can see the couple sitting at the head table, which is decorated with floral arrangements and white lights. Behind them a large black backdrop with white ribbons created an elegant and romantic setting.

Subsequently The couple begins to move towards the dance floor, holding hands. As they walked towards the center of the courtyard, they were lit by fireworks this marked the beginning of their first dance as husband and wife.

However, the holiday took a tragic turn in a matter of seconds. Immediately after the fireworks were launched, the ceiling lights and panels of the hall began to light up.

🇮🇶 | Moments before the tragedy at a wedding in Iraq, where a fire killed at least 113 people and injured hundreds more. pic.twitter.com/bUDvOB2pW3

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Disaster, p.classified by the Iraqi government as an “accident” It happened on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday in the Al-Hamdaniya district in the northern province of Nineveh and was associated with the use of fireworks and flares in the hall where the wedding was taking place.

According to Civil Defense, the wedding hall was clad in Ecobond plastic panels. “highly flammable” the use of which in a design of this type constitutes “violation of safety regulations”At the same time, there were no alarm and fire extinguishing systems at the facility.

The fire “spread very quickly” and caused “parts of the ceremonial hall” built from “inexpensive materials that collapsed in minutes” According to Civil Defense, which stated that the burning of plastic panels led to the release of toxic gases.

Video: Rudaw Media Network via Reuters

“Joy and happiness suddenly turned into death and sadness, when the fire spread quickly and burned everything,” he assured. EFE Hannah Corkes, one of those present at the wedding, held at the Al Haitham Hall party hall.

The Iraqi said the event was “joyful and beautiful” and that Those present did not stop dancing and singing. “until some people started shooting fireworks from the room.”

Basel Samir was also there, another participant who witnessed how “The ceiling of the room began to burn at a crazy speed.until he fell upon the crowd gathered on the dance floor.

“There was a stampede at the exit gate, then an avalanche… And this caused some people to fall to the ground and be trampled by others.“, said EFE.

Video: Rudaw Media Network via Reuters

Property fires are common in Iraq, especially as summer temperatures rise and due to lack of maintenance, corruption and poor infrastructure a country still in the process of recovering from decades of war and sectarian violence.

An example occurred in 2021. in a Baghdad hospital, killing 82 peopleAnd it came shortly after a similar incident left 60 people dead at another medical center, this time in Nasiriyah in southern Iraq.

On Wednesday, when the incident occurred, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani He declared three days of mourning.

This is stated in a statement from Al-Sudani’s office published on his social network account. express our condolences to the victims, their families and loved ones.”

Video: Rudaw Media Network via Reuters

In addition, he called on “all ministries, provinces and government agencies” take “urgent measures” to “provide immediate assistance” to the victims and “prepare a list of victims and relatives to guarantee their legal rights and provide them with financial compensation.”

“All ministries and provincial administrations will continue to conduct building inspections to review safety procedures. “The relevant authorities will be held responsible for any defects,” he communicated.

In this sense, he emphasized that Civil Defense “will continue to confirm previous procedures during on-site security checks and will redouble efforts for periodic inspections over large areassupermarkets, apartment buildings, party halls and hotels.”

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Except, The Iraqi Interior Ministry confirmed the arrest of nine people as a result of the firebefore pointing out that he had issued four more arrest warrants, Iraqi television reported. Al Sumaria.

Video: Rudaw Media Network via Reuters

(according to information from EFE And Europe Press)