Hamdaniya wedding fire survivors want honest investigation

[Anthea]

Wedding fire in Iraq

After fireworks were lit during the celebration, a fire ripped through a major events hall in the northeastern region of Iraq

More than 450 persons were killed or injured as a result of a fire during a wedding in the Iraqi governorate of Nineveh, according to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.

"The death toll and casualties from a fire at a wedding hall in Al-Hamdaniya District east of [the city of] Mosul has surpassed 450," the organization said in a post on X.

According to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, more than 450 persons were killed or injured as a result of a fire during a wedding in the Iraqi governorate of Nineveh.

CCTV footage shared on social media shows well-dressed wedding guests fleeing for their lives as fireballs rain down on the reception area. Other images show smoke billowing from the Al-Hamdaniya district building. On Tuesday evening, at about 10.45 p.m. local time, a fire broke out.

"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," said 34-year-old Imad Yohana, who escaped the flames at the wedding.

As those celebrating the wedding fled, terrifying footage from the event showed fire stuff falling onto the dancefloor. Other films showed firefighters searching through the burned wreckage of the structure for possible survivors.
Rescue teams at the scene

Firefighters and investigators were at the scene until the early hours of Wednesday morning, attempting to determine what caused the fire. As visitors strolled through the wedding location, only scorched metal and debris could be seen, with the only light coming from media cameras and the lights on observers' mobile phones.

Iraqi Ministry of Health spokesman Saif Al-Badr said in a statement that the Minister of Health, Saleh Mahdi Al-Hasnawi, had directed that the ministry's departments in Nineveh and its surrounding areas be mobilized to rescue and treat people injured in the fire.

According to Saif al-Badr, "All efforts are being made to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate accident." The provincial governor of Nineveh, Najim al-Jubouri, stated that some of the injured had been brought to local hospitals. Thousands of people are said to have visited hospitals to donate blood to individuals who were hurt in the fire.
What caused the fire?

Initial reports indicated that fireworks used during the ceremony may have been the source of the fire that blasted through the event hall as celebrations were in full gear, according to Iraq's civil defense. The official cause, however, has yet to be determined.

According to civil defense officials quoted by the Iraqi News Agency, the façade of the building was decorated with extremely combustible cladding, which is forbidden in the country. The civil defense said: "The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable, low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when the fire breaks out."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/mis ... :-red-cres

[Anthea]

Fire: Death Toll Rises to 115

At least 115 people lost their lives, with more than 200 others sustaining injuries during a deadly fire that occurred at a wedding celebration in Iraq's Hamdaniya district in Nineveh province last night, according to Iraqi media

The incident prompted civil defense teams to conduct search and rescue operations within the scorched remains of the building well into the early hours of Wednesday morning, with ambulances rushing to the scene to take the injured to nearby hospitals.

According to state media reports, a massive fire engulfed a spacious events hall in the town of Hamdaniya overnight due to the ignition of fireworks during the festive gathering, as confirmed by the local civil defense.

Initial findings indicate that the structure of the hall was built using highly combustible building materials, which reportedly played a significant role in its swift collapse.

The Kurdistan Region swiftly responded to the incident by sending in a number of ambulances and medical crews to treat and transport the injured. At least 40 injured individuals were taken to Erbil hospitals for treatment in Erbil.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/824905

[Anthea]

Kurdish Leaders Send Condolences

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), in a statement on Wednesday conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims of the wedding hall fire in Hamdaniya.

"It is with great sadness that I received news of the fire in the Hamdaniya district, which led to the death and injury of hundreds of citizens. I convey my heart-felt condolences to the families of the victims and pray to His Almighty to speed up the recovery of the injured," the Kurdish leader said in a statement he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also sent his condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He reaffirmed his commitment to continue assisting federal authorities in dealing with the aftermath of the incident.

Last night, the Kurdish prime minister ordered the Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and other relevant departments to rush to the scene of the incident, and assist with taking the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.

According to reports from Iraqi media, a tragic fire at a wedding celebration in Iraq's Hamdaniya district i Nineveh province last night resulted in the loss of at least 115 lives and left over 200 individuals injured.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/824913

[Anthea]

Owner of Hall Arrested

The Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced on Wednesday that the owner of the hall in Hamdania district, Mosul, where a tragic fire incident occurred during a wedding celebration, has been arrested in Erbil

The fire incident, which took place in Nineveh province's Hamdaniya district on Tuesday night, resulted in a devastating loss of at least 115 lives and left over 200 individuals injured. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani swiftly dispatched a large medical team to assist Iraqi authorities in managing the situation.

“The owner of the hall that caught fire in Hamdania district was arrested by our institutions,” the KRSC said, highlighting that the arrest for Samir Sulaiman Krumi Rafo Asu was made in response to the arrest warrant issued by the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

“Upon receiving the arrest warrant, our institutions within the Kurdistan Regional Security Council in Erbil apprehended the hall owner and handed him over to the Ministry of Interior of the Federal Government of Iraq,” the statement concluded.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/824985

[Anthea]

Three days of mourning

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani announced on Wednesday that Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has ordered three days of mourning in the Kurdistan Region due to the wedding hall fire in Hamdaniya district

Following the news of this incident, the Prime Minister instructed emergency and health services teams to attend to the victims. He also instructed them to open the doors of Kurdistan Region hospitals to patients in need of treatment.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) in a statement on Wednesday announced the arrest of Sameer Sulaiman Krumi Rafo Asu, the owner of the wedding hall.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... :-KRG-spox

[Papillon2017]

In general, weddings kill because of these stupid guys who shot the sky with their guns and hit the guests. But the safety of buildings are also terrible.

[Anthea]

I imagine the hall was packed and probably had a lot of fancy cloths hanging all over the place,around pillars and across the ceiling for decoration

The saddest part is the loss of the Bride and Groom

It will take a long time for the community to heal and the families to grieve

Question: did they arrest the hall's owner because he had committed a crime, surely it would take a lot longer to discover what really happened, more likely he was arrested to prevent him from being killed?

[Papillon2017]

Question: did they arrest the hall's owner because he had committed a crime, surely it would take a lot longer to discover what really happened, more likely he was arrested to prevent him from being killed?

To prevent him to fly away, I guess. And sure, I imagine that hundreds of people in Mosul are ready to lynch him.

[Anthea]

From the following short YouTube video it looks as though there were some form of sparkling fireworks going up and setting fire to the ceiling decoration

phpBB [video]

Direct Link:
https://youtu.be/B0gjxAzjAdI?feature=shared

[Anthea]

Fireworks Ignited Tragedy

The Iraqi Interior Ministry, in its official report released on Sunday, has determined the cause of the devastating fire incident in Hamdaniya district last week, pointing to fireworks as the ignition source

Lieutenant Kazim Salman Buhan, an advisor to the Iraqi Interior Minister, briefed reporters on the investigation's findings, saying, "The fire was caused by fireworks and there were asbestos, sandwich panels, and other plastic materials at the bottom of the hall, all highly susceptible to rapid combustion."

Buhan further highlighted that the hall was festooned with satin fabric, which quickly caught fire. He also noted the presence of a significant quantity of alcoholic beverages within the hall and the absence of emergency exits.

The committee's investigation established that fireworks had ignited the hall's floor, with flames reaching a height of four meters. (videos show the fireworks igniting the ceiling decorations)

The devastating incident claimed the lives of more than 100 individuals, left hundreds injured, and left dozens unaccounted for when a fire engulfed a wedding hall in Hamdaniya district, Nineveh province, late Tuesday night.

The tragedy has elicited reactions both within Iraq and across the globe, with grieving relatives demanding accountability for those responsible.

Link to Article - Photo

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/825325

[Anthea]

Bride and groom make appearance

Some 1,000 people were celebrating the wedding of Hannen, the bride, and Riva, the groom, in a bouquet hall in the Iraqi northern town of Hamdaniya on Tuesday night. Their joy soon turned into a tragedy after a fire broke out and killed over 100 party-goers. Hannen and Riva avoided public appearances until Friday amid reports of threats against them by the families of some victims who blame them for the catastrophic incident

The groom appeared in a mass burial ceremony on Wednesday but the bride avoided the media.

Both on Friday appeared at the burial procession of Hannen’s mother and brother who died in the wedding fire. They wore all black.

Hamdaniya is one of Iraq’s only Christian-majority districts, located in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul, a historic Assyrian region. Like many Christian towns in the Nineveh Plains, it was taken over by Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists during their brazen sweep of northern Iraq, where they declared a so-called “caliphate” and inflicted grave atrocities on minority groups, including Christians.

The Assyrian Christian towns were retaken by Iraqi and Kurdish security forces in 2017 when ISIS was driven out of the area. Hamdaniya was visited by Pope Francis during his historic visit to Iraq in 2021.

Link to Article - Photo:

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/290920233

[Anthea]

Eight More Succumb to Death

Eight more people severely injured in the recent wedding hall inferno in Nineveh's Hamdaniya district have died, bringing the total death toll to at least 123 people

The father of the bride was one of those who died on Monday from the severity of his injuries. They were buried at the Hamdaniya graveyard yesterday, Kurdistan 24 reported today.

The federal government of Iraq have so far sent more than a dozen people critically injured in the Hamdaniya wedding hall fire abroad for necessary medical treatment.

Last week, a deadly fire swept through a wedding venue in the Hamdaniya district of Nineveh province. The incident has resulted in the loss of a minimum of 123 lives so far, with over 200 individuals sustaining injuries.

Following an inquiry by the federal government into the incident, it was determined that the fire was "unintentional and accidental, stemming from gross negligence." Additionally, it was noted that the use of flammable decorations played a significant role in the rapid spread of the fire, effectively turning the hall into a blazing inferno.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/825589

[Anthea]

Groom says fireworks not cause

The groom whose wedding celebration catastrophically ended in over a hundred deaths told Rudaw English on Sunday that fireworks were not the cause of the fire that burned down the hall, contradicting investigation findings of the Iraqi interior ministry. He blamed the hall’s owner for the blaze

Rivan, 27, feels he has “nothing to talk about” after a deadly blaze during his wedding party in the Christian town of Hamdaniya in Iraq’s northern Nineveh province. He said that fireworks were not the reason for the tragedy and called for an international investigation to determine the reason.

“It is not true. We demand for an international committee to investigate this, for international organizations to help us,” Rivan told Rudaw English in Hamdaniya, contradicting a Sunday conclusion by the Iraqi interior ministry that malfunctioning fireworks resulted in the inferno.

Rivan’s father, Esho, said he lost at least 20 members of his family in the fire and that the bride Haneen’s family has lost at least 35 people

Tragedy struck the Assyrian Christian town of Hamdaniya in Nineveh province, also known as Qaraqosh or Bakhdida, on Tuesday night during a joyous wedding when scenes of celebration and laughter soon derailed into a hellish nightmare when the banquet hall caught on fire. At least a hundred died and over 150 were also injured.

“There is nothing left. We are seeing greater and greater sufferings every day, more and more victims,” Rivan said. He also stated that the tragedy has made it impossible for the newly-weds and their families to remain in Hamdaniya. “How can we stay after what we saw?” he said.

“My wife is shocked. Nine people from her house passed away. She cannot talk. She can barely get up and walk and needs to be supported by one or two people to walk. How can she handle this? She is just an 18-year-old girl,” he said, visibly distraught and powerless.

Asked about how they are being treated, Rivan said that “thankfully the people are all by our side” but that “it is the people’s right” to treat them poorly because “their hearts are broken.”

“We demand the rights of those whose blood was spilt. Why did their blood have to be spilled? We demand their rights and we demand the perpetrator of this action, him and all who are behind him. We demand an international investigation, not a local or federal investigation,” he said.

In war-scarred Iraq, safety standards are often ignored as sub-standard buildings, such as Hamdaniya’s Haytham Hall, lack adequate fire extinguishers and emergency facilities such as evacuation doors.

Authorities are also often criticized for failing to conduct impartial investigations and hold the perpetrators of crimes accountable.

Rivan’s father Esho said that he can no longer face his community anymore and is too grief-struck to “go out in the streets and see that one lost his brother, one his wife, and one his daughter.”

“Everywhere you go there are victims. So how will we face them? We have to stay at home, but staying at home is not a solution. Our life has become very difficult,” Esho said.

Devastated, Rivan said that he and Haneen would have never considering leaving Hamdaniya if the tragedy had not struck.

Hamdaniya is one of Iraq’s only Christian-majority districts, located in the Nineveh Plains near Mosul, a historic Assyrian region. Like many Christian towns in the Nineveh Plains, it was taken over by Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists during their brazen sweep of northern Iraq, where they declared a so-called “caliphate” and inflicted grave atrocities on minority groups, including Christians.

“Life here for us is no longer suitable for living,” he said.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/011020233

Shockingly, the footage I saw showed several fireworks with their sparks shooting up to the ceiling and setting the enormous circular decoration on fire

[Papillon2017]

If the fire has been provoked bt fireworks, I guess that the families of those who did it are going to try to blame the owner.

[Anthea]

Follow the link below

https://youtu.be/B0gjxAzjAdI?feature=shared

I would hate to be the person responsible for the fireworks