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Iraq wedding fire/Couple interview: Every time we try to have a little happiness, something tragic happens

2023-09-30 16:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Iraq wedding fire/Couple interview: Every time we try to have a little

Revan, 27, and Haneen, 18, say they can no longer stay in their town

A bride and groom whose wedding celebration ended in disaster after a fire killed more than 100 of their guests have told Sky News they are "dead inside" following the tragedy.

Revan, 27, and his bride, Haneen, 18, survived the fire, which started inside a hall packed with wedding guests in Qaraqosh, in northern Iraq's Nineveh province.

At least 150 others were also injured.

Revan said he lost 15 members of his family in the fire, adding that his daughter-in-law "cannot speak" after losing 10 of her relatives, including her mother and brother. Her father is also in critical condition.

"It is true that we are sitting here in front of you alive. But inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside," he said.

The wedding on Tuesday night is said to have had about 900 guests, while the fire started around 10:45 p.m.

Video shared shortly after the tragedy shows the couple dancing as burning pieces of material fell from the roof.

It was during the dance, he said, that there was a power outage - and when the power came back on he "saw fire" in the ceiling.

That's when people started "screaming" and "running away".

He went on to describe helping his wife, who couldn't walk because of her wedding dress.

"I grabbed my wife and started dragging her. I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people were running away, people were stepping on her. Her legs are injured."

Revan said there was only one fire extinguisher, which "didn't work."

Describing how the events unfolded, he said two small firecrackers went off as they began to dance, followed by four more a few minutes later.

He said his father had asked about the risk of such fireworks causing sparks that could "land on the bride's dress" and "catch fire", but the venue owners had told him the fireworks were electric. , so "you can put your hand". or even plastic [on it] and it won't burn."

Disaster means they can no longer stay in their hometown. "That's it, we can't live here anymore. We can't live here anymore. I mean, every time we try to have some happiness, something tragic happens to us and it destroys our happiness. So it's better that we leave." he said./ CNA