More than 100 people were killed and about 150 injured in the fire that broke out, Tuesday night into Wednesday, at a wedding reception venue in Nineveh, northern Iraq.
Deputy Governor Hassan al-Alak told Reuters news agency that 113 deaths had been confirmed so far, while the Iraqi Ministry of Health had earlier announced that the death toll was "at least 100".
Hundreds of people – about a thousand, according to the Al Arabiya network – had flooded the wedding reception hall in the Hamdaniya district. The fire was caused by fireworks during the event, according to Iraqi media.
Strong fire brigade and ambulances rushed to the area. Reuters video shows the frantic efforts of firefighters to find survivors in the rubble of the building, which was engulfed in flames.
The Civil Protection service underlines in its statement that "the fire caused the collapse of part of the roof, due to the highly flammable and cheap construction materials". "Witnesses report the throwing of fireworks during the wedding reception, which caused the fire," he adds.
Al Arabiya reports that a military aircraft will fly to Baghdad some of the most seriously injured.
🔴 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: RES-EAP