At least 114 people were killed, and more than 200 were injured after a massive fire ripped through a wedding hall in Iraq’s Nineveh province, a top official announced on Wednesday.
The updated figures were confirmed to the media by Nineveh Governor Najm al-Jubouri, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The fire broke out on Tuesday night in the al-Haytham Wedding Hall in al-Hamdaniya town, 35 km southeast of the provincial capital Mosul, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), which quoted the Iraqi Civil Defence.
It said that initial reports indicated that fireworks were used during the celebration, potentially causing the fire.
The building was covered with highly flammable materials, accelerating the blaze, which led to the collapse of part of the building, the INA said. An investigation was launched into the incident.
It was not clear if the bride and groom were among the victims. Initial reports in Iraqi media stated that they had died in the blaze, but news agency Nina later reported that they were alive but being treated for burns.
Health Ministry spokesman Sayf al-Badr said the situation is under control, and they are closely monitoring the incident.
The INA reported that the Health Minister directed authorities in the neighbouring provinces of Kirkuk and Salahudin to send ambulances to help evacuate the victims.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s media office mentioned that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani made a phone call to the Nineveh Governor to learn about the situation and ordered the interior and health ministers to support the affected people.
“We are following the tragic developments in the town of al-Hamdaniya following the painful accident that caused a number of victims and injuries,” Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said in a tweet.
