In his first statement since the tragedy, the groom of the bloody wedding in Hamdaniya, Iraq broke his silence and spoke about the fire that left more than 100 people dead, including 10 members of his bride's family and 15 members of his .
"Our relatives, friends and loved ones are gone," said the distraught son-in-law. He added that he and his wife were like the living dead after their wedding ceremony ended in a massive fire tragedy.
The bride, Haneen (18), lost ten members of her family, including her mother and brother, while her husband Revan (27) lost 15 of his relatives after a fire broke out at their wedding party in northern Iraq on last Tuesday.
Revan added that his wife "can't speak" after the disaster, which also left her father in a critical condition.
More than 150 people were injured by the fire and choking smoke or during the stampede to escape the reception hall, which was reduced to charred rubble and piles of furniture under a partially damaged roof.
Officials cited indoor fireworks that caused panic on the way out as a possible cause of the fire.
The son-in-law, Revan, has a different opinion, as he believes the fire somehow started in the ceiling and not as a result of a spark emitted by the fireworks: “It could have been an electrical short, I don't know, but it started in the ceiling… We felt the heat , and when I heard a creak, I looked up at the ceiling."
He continues: "Then the roof, which was all nylon, started to melt... and it only took seconds."
The groom says that while he was dancing, the power went out and when the power came back on, he "saw fire" on the ceiling and then people started "screaming" and "running away."
Revan spoke of the first moments after the fire broke out and how he and the bride, who could not walk because of her wedding dress, managed to escape outside.
“I grabbed my wife and started pulling her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people ran to leave, they stepped on her. Her legs were injured."
Revan points out that the room only had one "non-working" fire extinguisher.
The disaster means a lot to the newlyweds, who declare that they cannot stay in their hometown any longer.
🔴 BREAKING 🇮🇶 : Disturbing scenes from the fire at a wedding hall in Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, northern #Iraq. Tragically, it claimed over 100 lives and left 150 injured. 😢🔥 #CivilDefense reports fireworks during the wedding may have sparked the blaze. #Nineveh pic.twitter.com/NZqRN8QMHV
— Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) September 26, 2023
Source: ERT