A fairy tale wedding turned into a catastrophic nightmare when over 100 guests tragically lost their lives during the celebration.
What was meant to be a day of joy and union for a young couple became a heartbreaking scene of disaster instead.
The bride, 18-year-old Haneen, and groom, 27-year-old Revan, have shared their harrowing experience from the devastating day.
Haneen and Revan were meant to be celebrating their love with family and friends.
However, by the day’s end, the couple was mourning the loss of 107 loved ones, including many close relatives.
The catastrophe struck at the wedding venue located in Iraq’s Nineveh province, claiming the lives of numerous friends and family members.
An uncontrollable blaze broke out, leading to the tragedy.
The fire engulfed a popular wedding hall in Qaraqosh, near Mosul, where over 900 guests were gathered.
A close friend of the couple, Jamil al-Jamil, told AFP, according to BBC News: “The bride lost her whole family – three brothers, all of her uncles and her young cousins.
“The groom lost his mother.”
Additionally, at least 82 others sustained injuries, as confirmed by the head of the Al-Hamdaniya Fire Incident Investigation Committee.
While speaking with Sky News, Revan discussed the possible origins of the fire, stating: “It could be a short-circuit, I don’t know. But the fire started in the ceiling. We felt the heat… When I heard the crackling I looked at the ceiling. Then the ceiling, which was all nylon, started to melt.
“It only took seconds.”
Revan noted a power outage occurred right before their first dance, during which time he saw flames across the ceiling.
An injured guest recounted to an Associated Press reporter at the hospital: “[The bride and groom] were about to do a slow dance and then they lit up this thing for the dance which caught fire.”
Revan shared his frantic efforts to save his wife, saying: “I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people were fleeing, people were trampling on her.”
He also mentioned: “Her legs are injured.”
The fast spread of the fire was exacerbated by the building’s flammable materials, authorities indicated.
The chaotic nature of the evacuation also contributed to the high death toll.
Revan revealed the venue had only one fire extinguisher, which ‘didn’t work’.
Martin Idriss, a 19-year-old kitchen worker, told the Daily Mail: “I thought there had been an explosion.
“The flames were devouring the whole hall.”
Rania Waad, a 17-year-old wedding guest who suffered hand burns, explained: “As the bride and groom were slow dancing, the fireworks (flames) started to climb to the ceiling (and) the whole hall went up in flames’.
“We couldn’t see anything. We were suffocating. We didn’t know how to get out,” she added.
Following the disaster, the venue was left covered in charred debris, a somber sight for anyone passing through.
Survivors, their bodies wrapped in bandages, were rushed to local hospitals for essential oxygen treatment.
Meanwhile, anxious families lingered in hospital corridors and outside, as medical staff hurried to secure more oxygen supplies. Children were among the injured, deepening the tragedy.
Ambulance sirens wailed for hours as paramedics worked nonstop to transport the injured to safety.
In response to the tragedy, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani took to social media to direct immediate aid to those affected, while the Health Ministry’s spokesperson, Saif al Badr, echoed the sentiment on Yahoo, stating: “All efforts are being made to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate accident.”
Initial investigations suggested a pyrotechnic mishap as the fire’s origin, though Revan believes it started from the ceiling.
According to the Daily Mail, civil defence authorities pointed out that the hall’s construction included highly flammable panels that violated safety standards, which led to the rapid spread of the fire and release of toxic gases.
Following the incident, fourteen people were arrested, including the hall’s owner and individuals responsible for the fireworks, as reported by the BBC. Some have been released since.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for severe legal actions against those whose negligence contributed to the tragedy.
Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), attributed the fire primarily to the fireworks, describing the incident as accidental and “100% an act of God.”
Mr Shammari also noted that the venue was packed beyond capacity and lacked adequate emergency exits, contributing to the disaster.
British fire safety expert Arnold Tarling told the BBC that such tragic events are entirely preventable, emphasizing the need for proper safety measures at such gatherings.
The emotional toll on the couple is immense. Revan expressed their deep sorrow, saying: “Inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside.”
Revan concluded with a heartrending statement about their future: “That’s it, we can’t live here anymore. We can’t live here anymore. I mean, every time we try to have some happiness, something tragic happens to us and destroys the happiness. So, it’s best for us to leave,”
He added, reflecting on the timing of the disaster: “On the wedding night… why did this happen? What did we do? Why did this happen?”