A devastating video of an Iraq wedding on fire is going viral online. HOLR breaks down the latest.
Caution: The following videos contain distressing content
As mentioned in this article, a deadly fire that started at a wedding in Qaraqosh (in northern Iraq) this past week has taken the lives of at least 100 people, injuring about 150 others in the process. The guest list had approximately 1,300 people in attendance.
This video by user @cbsnews on TikTok details the tragic event:
@cbsnews Fire rained down inside a #wedding venue in northern #Iraq on Wednesday, killing at least 93 people and leaving 100 more injured, an Iraqi official said. Fireworks inside the venue sparked the deadly blaze, according to emergency services and witnesses. #news #fire
What caused the fire at the wedding in Iraq?
Allegedly, fireworks were determined to be the alleged cause of the incident as they were reportedly set off at the venue during the wedding as the bride and groom danced, noted here. It is also being reported that the safety measures at the hall supposedly did not meet the requirements. As the article mentions, the wedding venue supposedly was covered with highly flammable Ecobond panels meaning the hall subsequently went up in flames once the fireworks were set off.
“The hall did not meet safety criteria. Because of the fireworks the ceiling collapsed on the people in the hall,” said Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari (as also noted here).
It is now being reported here that several people were arrested in relation to the fireworks including; 10 members of the venue’s staff, its owner, and three additional people.
Iraq Wedding Fire Bride and Groom
Both the bride and groom reportedly survived although it was initially believed they had passed.
Iraq Wedding Fire Video
Videos of the blaze are going viral online and they are harrowing to watch. The below TikTok video posted by user @bbcnews here shows the moment the fire started.
Published by HOLR Magazine.