Survivors of tragic Iraq wedding fire describe heartbreaking loss

Ninevah: In a recent interview, the bride and groom who miraculously survived a devastating fire at a wedding in Al Hamdaniyya, Nineveh, Iraq, have shared their feelings.

Last week, a tragic fire erupted during an ongoing wedding ceremony, resulting in the loss of over 100 lives and leaving around 150 people injured.

Initially, it was believed that the bride and groom were among the victims, but it later emerged that they had managed to escape.

A bride and groom have told Sky News they are "dead inside" after more than 100 people were killed when a fire broke out at their wedding in Iraq's Nineveh province.

Read more: https://t.co/8Kf68OesS2 pic.twitter.com/6swjKC50hN

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 30, 2023

Rafan, the 27-year-old groom who is still in a state of shock, expressed, "Our relatives and friends were separated from us, and my wife and I are still in a state of shock."

Haneen, the 18-year-old bride, revealed that ten of her family members, including her mother and brother, had tragically lost their lives, while fifteen of Rafan's relatives also perished in the fire.

Rafan shared his belief that the fire started on the roof of the wedding hall, potentially due to a short circuit.

He dismissed the idea that sparks from fireworks caused the fire, emphasizing that it was hard to determine the exact cause.

He recounted the terrifying moment when they felt the heat and heard the sound of fireworks, leading them to look up at the ceiling.

The decoration made of nylon on the ceiling began melting rapidly, resulting in the tragic events that followed.

As the fire rapidly spread, people began to flee the scene. Rafan and his wife tried to escape through the kitchen door but were met with a dire situation.

There was only one fire extinguisher in the wedding hall, and it was not functional.

Overwhelmed by grief, Rafan stated, "Now we will not be able to live in this city; our happiness has been destroyed."

Among the attendees at the wedding in the Iraqi city of Hamdania, there was DJ Steven Nabil and his fiancée. Their ordeal during the fire has left indelible scars.

In an emotional interview with Reuters, Steven Nabil, tears in his eyes and holding a picture of his fiancée, recounted the harrowing final conversation with his beloved, who tragically lost her life in the fire.

"My fiancée was invited to the wedding with her family," Steven began, his voice trembling.

He continued, "I was outside the hall when I received her call. She told me, 'I am going to die, take care, I love you so much.' I asked her what happened, and she said, 'The hall is on fire, and there's smoke.' I told her I'll be back in a second."

Desperate to reach his fiancée, Steven rushed to the door, but a wall of fire and smoke blocked his path.

Despite breaking glass and attempting to enter, he found it impossible to reach his beloved.

The situation grew even more dire as a bulldozer was used to breach the wall, allowing him to enter, only to discover his fiancée lifeless, still clutching her phone.

State media reported that preliminary information suggests the building was constructed with highly flammable materials, which contributed to the rapid and devastating fire.