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A wedding celebration in the Christian town of Qaraqosh, Iraq, turned into a national tragedy.
Revan and Haneen exchanged vows in front of hundreds of guests who gathered at the banquet hall to witness their joyous union.
The venue was filled with the energy of 900 attendees, dancing and celebrating the couple’s new beginning.
But in mere moments, the joyous occasion turned into chaos, as the groom’s excited laughter gave way to screams of terror.
What began as a typical first dance featured two small fires at the start, followed by four more igniting later.
Revan, the groom, told Sky News that they first felt an intense heat, then heard an alarming sound, before witnessing the ceiling’s nylon material begin to melt.
“As soon as I heard the crackling sound, I looked up—the entire nylon-covered ceiling was dissolving. It happened in seconds,” Revan recalled.
The highly combustible composite panels in the roof ignited rapidly, triggering a fire that led to the roof’s collapse.
Panic spread as desperate guests tried to escape, but the swift-moving flames and falling debris trapped many beneath the wreckage.
Eyewitness Nirvan, who attended the wedding with his wife, described the fire as “sudden” and said it “rapidly consumed the ceiling almost completely.”
In the chaos, his wife sustained injuries during the frantic stampede. Like many others in need of urgent medical attention, they were forced to wait over 30 minutes for help.
According to the BBC, the fire was ignited by fireworks, a claim later confirmed by Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, who stated that the flames caused the roof to collapse.
A preliminary investigation led to the arrest of 14 individuals, including four members of the fireworks display company. Some were later released.
An official from Iraq’s Civil Defence Directorate confirmed that the event hall was constructed using low-cost, highly flammable materials, which accelerated the fire and contributed to the building’s collapse.
These hazardous materials posed serious safety risks, and their use violated regulations that could have helped prevent the disaster.
According to The Independent, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered “the toughest punishments permitted by law” for anyone whose negligence played a role in the tragedy.
He also called for stricter inspections of public venues across the country to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As the nation mourns, many await further details from key figures involved, while the public continues to demand answers.
According to Sky News, Revan described his desperate attempt to save his wife amid the chaos.
“I kept pulling her body toward the kitchen entrance, trying to get her out of the room,” he recalled.
As panicked guests fled the fire, Haneen was trampled in the rush to escape. “Her legs are injured,” he added.
Revan also revealed that the venue had only one working fire extinguisher, which proved useless against the rapidly spreading flames.
The newlyweds, overwhelmed by grief, have decided to leave their hometown, unable to stay after surviving such a devastating tragedy.
Their once-bright future has been overshadowed by the weight of unimaginable loss.
Their revelation left the audience in stunned silence.
Haneen, the bride, survived the fire but suffered an unimaginable loss—10 family members, including her mother and brother, perished in the tragedy.
Her father remains in critical condition as she continues to recover from her own injuries. Since the devastating event, she has not spoken a single word.
Revan, standing beside her, expressed their shared sorrow:
“We need to leave this place. We can’t stay here anymore. Every time we try to find happiness, tragedy takes it away from us. Leaving is our only option.”
