Watan – In a chilling turn of events, joy and celebration transformed into horror and despair in Al-Hamdaniya, Iraq. Newly surfaced footage from local media sources provides a harrowing glimpse into the initial moments of a fire that consumed a wedding hall, resulting in the tragic loss of close to 100 lives and leaving many more injured.
The video, captured from an alternate angle by the venue’s surveillance cameras, paints a poignant tragic picture. It shows the newlyweds lost in a romantic dance, only to be abruptly overshadowed by a fiery downpour from above. Among the earliest affected was a photographer, shown in a frantic attempt to douse the flames that had set his head alight, moments before the fire rapidly engulfed the entire hall.
Preliminary reports from the civil defense suggest that fireworks, used during the wedding, may have unintentionally triggered the devastating blaze. Adding to the complexity, the wedding hall was adorned with “Ecopond” panels. These panels, made of a flammable mix of aluminum and plastic, could have intensified the fire’s rapid spread. The choice to use these panels, which goes against safety guidelines, has sparked significant alarm.
Reacting to the tragic event, the Iraqi government has launched an in-depth investigation. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced a three-day national mourning period. Meanwhile, President Abdul Latif Rashid, deeply saddened, emphasized the need to determine the exact reasons for the tragedy.
