The tragedy that befell Haneen and Revan on their wedding night is beyond comprehension. What should have been the happiest moment of their lives turned into an unimaginable nightmare that will haunt them forever.
Their wedding was attended by nearly 900 guests in a banquet hall in Qaraqosh, a Christian town in northern Iraq’s Nineveh province. But as the couple shared their first dance together, surrounded by family and friends, disaster struck. The fire erupted unexpectedly, just between 10:00 and 10:45 p.m., spreading quickly through the ceiling of the hall.
In an interview with Sky News, Revan described the horror: “We felt the heat… When I heard the crackling, I looked at the ceiling. Then the ceiling, which was all nylon, started to melt. It only took seconds.” Initial reports suggested the fire might have been caused by fireworks, but Revan believes it started in the ceiling, possibly due to an electrical short circuit. “It could be a short circuit, I don’t know. But the fire started in the ceiling.”
Panic spread rapidly as the flames grew. Revan described the chaotic scene: “People began to scream and run away. I grabbed my wife, and I began to drag her. I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people were fleeing, people were trampling on her. Her legs are injured.”
The groom’s father had expressed concerns about the fireworks during the wedding planning, worried that sparks from them could land on people or cause damage. However, the venue assured him that the fireworks were electric and posed no danger. Unfortunately, this reassurance turned out to be tragically wrong.
When the fire broke out, the situation worsened quickly. There was only one fire extinguisher available, but it failed to function. “The fire was sudden, and rapidly consumed the ceiling almost completely,” recalled Nirvan, an attendee who managed to escape. “My wife got injured during the ensuing stampede.”
Despite their desperate attempts to flee, Revan and Haneen managed to escape through a kitchen door, but many of their guests were not so fortunate. More than 100 people died, and at least 150 were injured. Haneen lost 10 relatives, including her mother and brother, while her father was critically injured. The devastation left both families shattered and scarred.
🔴 اللحظات الاولى لاندلاع النيران في قاعة الأعراس في قضاء الحمدانية في نينوى.#العراق #الحمدانية pic.twitter.com/x2GbZ0sx2R
— العراق برس (@aliraqplus) September 27, 2023
The Civil Defence Directorate later revealed that the ceiling of the banquet hall was made of highly flammable composite panels, violating safety regulations. This allowed the fire to spread so quickly that parts of the building collapsed within minutes. A preliminary investigation suggested that the fireworks had caused the fire, which ultimately led to the roof collapsing on the guests.
In the aftermath, 14 individuals were arrested, including four people involved in setting off the fireworks. Although some have since been released, the Iraqi government is determined to hold those responsible accountable. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has vowed to impose the harshest penalties and increase safety inspections at public venues.
For Revan and Haneen, the emotional toll is unimaginable. “That’s it, we can’t live here anymore,” Revan told Sky News. “Every time we try to have some happiness, something tragic happens to us and destroys the happiness. So, it’s best for us to leave.”
The trauma has had a severe impact on Haneen, who has been unable to speak since the tragedy. Revan, though alive, feels a deep sense of loss: “It’s true that we’re sitting here in front of you alive. But inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside.”
What was meant to be a celebration of love and new beginnings has left Haneen and Revan mourning the loss of their loved ones, with their dreams of a bright future together forever shattered. The couple’s grief is immeasurable, and their path forward will forever be shaped by the horror of that night.
This tragedy serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the unpredictability of life and the unimaginable pain that can befall even the most joyous moments. My heart breaks for Haneen and Revan, and I can only hope that, in time, they find the strength to heal, though the scars of this event will never fade.