At least 114 people were killed and more than 200 injured Wednesday when a fire broke out at a wedding party in Hamdaniya, a small town in northern Iraq, authorities said. The fire may have been caused by fireworks.
“The death toll stands at 114, with more than 200 injured,” Nineveh provincial governor Najim al-Juburi said in a press statement about the aftermath of the fire.
Khanin and Revan, the bride and groom, are among the dead. According to some guests, the couple was dancing their first dance when they noticed flames rising up the walls. Panic set in and everyone tried to escape.
Some survivors say they were trapped in the burning hall because they could not see through the black smoke. “We didn’t see anything,” said 17-year-old Rania Waad. “We were suffocating and didn’t know how to get out,” he said.
In accordance with daily mail, More than 900 guests attended the party. At least 50 of the injured are in critical condition.
Iraq’s Health Ministry said the “situation is under control” and that it was using “all its capabilities” to treat the wounded.