In Iraq’s Nineveh province, Hamdaniya district, a devastating fire at a wedding party resulted in the tragic loss of over 100 lives and left 150 individuals injured. Civil defense teams were engaged in a meticulous search for survivors among the scorched remnants of the building until the early hours of Wednesday. Hassan al-Allaq, the Deputy Governor of Nineveh, confirmed to Reuters that the death toll had reached 113, while state media reported at least 100 fatalities and 150 injuries.
The fire erupted in a large events hall in the north-eastern region, triggered by fireworks ignited during the celebration, as reported by local civil defense through state media. Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old survivor, recounted the harrowing scene: “We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out and those who didn’t got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken.” Footage obtained by a Reuters correspondent depicted firefighters navigating through the burnt debris of the building, illuminating the smoldering ruins with their lights.
Preliminary reports suggested that the rapid collapse of the building was due to the use of highly flammable construction materials, as stated by state media. In response to the tragedy, ambulances and medical teams were promptly dispatched by both federal Iraqi authorities and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, as per official statements. Eyewitnesses reported that the building was engulfed in flames around 10:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT), with hundreds of attendees present during the calamity.
Reports: Wedding Hall Clad in Prohibited Flammable Material
According to the Iraqi News Agency, investigations have revealed that the wedding hall, which was engulfed in flames, had been constructed with highly combustible cladding, a material deemed illegal in the country.
Cladding serves as a protective layer applied to the exterior of buildings to shield them from extreme weather conditions, and it can also be utilized for aesthetic enhancements.
A specific kind of cladding, consisting of metal composite and unmodified polyethylene, was identified as the culprit for the rapid spread of a devastating fire at London’s Grenfell Tower in 2017, leading to the loss of 72 lives. This material was subsequently prohibited on all structures in 2022.
The reasons behind the use of flammable cladding on the wedding hall remain uncertain, but there are indications that persistent corruption has enabled builders to bypass safety regulations, leading to catastrophic events such as fires.
“Fatalities from Burns and Asphyxiation Confirmed by Health Ministry Following Wedding Hall Tragedy”
Burns and suffocation were the primary causes of death for over 100 individuals at the wedding hall, as stated by Saif Al-Badr, the spokesperson for Iraq’s health ministry. Al-Badr also highlighted that the ensuing chaos from the fire resulted in crowd crushes.
Rescue teams are persistently working through the remnants of the burnt structure in Niniveh, a northern province, with the official count of fatalities currently at 113. In response to the tragedy, community members have convened at a local hospital’s courtyard to donate blood, while ambulances are actively transporting between the hospital and the incident site. Observations also report the presence of a refrigerated truck at the scene, loaded with black body bags.