A fire at a wedding in northern Iraq has caused the death of at least 100 people and injured 150 others, according to the Iraqi state news agency INA, which cited local authorities.
The disaster in the Hamdaniya district in northeast Nineveh governorate was caused by fireworks, candles, and other things that were being used during a wedding celebration, according to the Iraqi Civil Defense.
The governor of Nineveh, Najm Al-Jubouri, said that the people who were hurt were taken to hospitals in Nineveh and the Kurdistan region.
Al-Jubouri said that they do not have the exact number of people who died or got hurt yet.
There are videos showing lots of thick smoke coming out of the Al Haytham Wedding Hall. Many people and ambulances are gathered outside.
A person who attended the wedding told the local news that the bride and groom were not harmed but extremely sad.
The bride and groom are doing well. I was with them recently, but their situation is really bad because of what happened to people here.
According to the Iraqi Civil Defense, the wedding hall that caught fire had walls made of Ecobond panels. These panels were highly flammable and did not meet the safety requirements. ANI reported this information.
The fire caused parts of the building to collapse because cheap and easily ignitable materials were used. These materials collapse quickly when there is a fire.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani has told his team to help the people affected by the fire, as mentioned in a statement from his office.
The leader of Iraq spoke with the governor of Nineveh over the phone about the incident. He asked for everyone to help the victims.
The United Nations Help Mission for Iraq gave their sympathies to the families of the people who died and were hurt on Tuesday. They described the event as a very sad and unfortunate incident.
The mission expressed feeling shocked and upset about the terrible loss of life and injuries in the fire. This was stated on the platform called X, previously known as Twitter.
The government of Iraq declared a period of three days for the whole country to mourn after the fire.
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