A bride and groom have spoken out after more than 100 people tragically died at their wedding.
A wedding is supposed to be the happiest day in a couple’s life. But for two newlyweds, it was instead the scene of an enormous tragedy.
And now, the bride, 18-year-old Haneen, and 27-year-old groom, Revan, have spoken out about the horrifying incident.
Haneen and Ravan were supposed to be enjoying a celebration of their love.
But, by the end of the day, they had lost 107 people who were dear to them, including many close family members.
A huge number of the bride and groom’s friends and family were killed at the venue in Iraq’s Nineveh province.
The incident occurred due to an enormous and out-of-control fire.
The inferno happened at a popular wedding hall in Qaraqosh, near the city of Mosul, at a ceremony with more than 900 guests.
Jamil al-Jamil, a friend of the couple, tells AFP, per BBC News: “The bride lost her whole family – three brothers, all of her uncles and her young cousins.
“The groom lost his mother.”
At least 82 others were also injured, the head of the Al-Hamdaniya Fire Incident Investigation Committee confirmed.
Talking to Sky News, Revan attempted to explain the cause of the fire, saying: “It could be a short-circuit, I don’t know. But the fire started in the ceiling. 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.”
He claims there was a power cut before the couple’s first dance, after which he noticed flames spreading across the ceiling.
One of those injured in the fire told an Associated Press reporter from the hospital: “[The bride and groom] were about to do a slow dance and then they lit up this thing for the dance which caught fire.”
Revan explained that he had to rescue his wife, saying: “I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people were fleeing, people were trampling on her.”
He added: “Her legs are injured.”
Authorities claim the building had flammable materials, which led to the fast spreading of the blaze.
It’s also believed the chaotic evacuation process led to a greater loss of life.
Revan said there was only one fire extinguisher, which ‘didn’t work’.
Martin Idriss, 19, who was working in the kitchen when the fire broke out, told the Daily Mail: “I thought there had been an explosion.
“The flames were devouring the whole hall.”
Wedding guest Rania Waad, 17, who suffered burns to her hand, said that as the bride and groom ‘were slow dancing, the fireworks (flames) started to climb to the ceiling (and) the whole hall went up in flames’.
“We couldn’t see anything. We were suffocating. We didn’t know how to get out,” she added.
In the fire’s aftermath, the hall was strewn with charred metal and debris, a grim sight for those who walked through.
Survivors, wrapped in bandages, made their way to local hospitals where they received vital oxygen support.
Meanwhile, families anxiously waited in hallways and outside, while workers scrambled to organise additional oxygen cylinders. Among the injured were children, adding to the tragedy.
The wail of ambulance sirens echoed for hours as paramedics tirelessly transported the wounded to safety.
Following the fire, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani said on social media that he had contacted the provincial governor of Nineveh and his country’s home and health ministers, directing them to ‘mobilise all efforts to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate incident’.
Health Ministry spokesman Saif al Badr said, per Yahoo: “All efforts are being made to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate accident.”
Initial reports suggested the fire began as a result of a pyrotechnic accident, although Revan maintains it started in the ceiling.
Per the Daily Mail, civil defence authorities said the hall had been fitted with prefabricated panels that were ‘highly flammable and contravened safety standards’.
The danger was compounded by the ‘release of toxic gases linked to the combustion of the panels’, which contained plastic.
Fourteen people were eventually arrested following the fire, including the hall’s owner and four people involved in setting off the fireworks, per the BBC.
Some have since been released.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has demanded ‘the toughest punishments permitted by law for those responsible for negligence or failings that led to this tragic fire’.
According to the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari announced: “Fireworks were the main cause of the fire.”
He also claimed that the fire ‘was accidental and 100% an act of God’.
Per the BBC, Mr Shammari noted that the hall had a capacity of 500, but that ‘twice the number’ were inside and it was ‘devoid of emergency doors’.
He added: “The hall’s owner thought that a short circuit had started the fire, so he cut the electricity, which had a significant impact. This provoked chaos, panic and a stampede.”
British fire safety expert Arnold Tarling told the BBC: “There should be ‘firebreaks’ in the ceiling and floor. Materials shouldn’t be combustible, including wedding decorations.”
He added: “These sort of fires are all completely avoidable. People bring fireworks to such events, but nobody ever thinks about it.”
Revan has also spoken out about the emotional impact of the tragedy, stating: “Inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside.”
He concluded: “Our relatives, our friends, our loved ones are all gone.”
The couple also confirmed they’re leaving their hometown following the incident.
“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 destroys the happiness. So, it’s best for us to leave,” Revan said.
He added: “On the wedding night… why did this happen? What did we do? Why did this happen?”
Related Article: Groom Dies 10 Minutes After Getting Married
Related Article: Bride Killed And Husband Hospitalised Just Minutes After Leaving Their Wedding Reception
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News
Three Deaths Reported At Disney World Over 10 Days
Walt Disney World has been struck by an unprecedented series of tragedies, with three guest deaths reported in a span of just 10 days.
The cluster of fatalities has sparked public concern and social media discussion, with guests sharing disturbing images and videos of law enforcement responses at the Florida resort properties.
The incidents have drawn attention to a troubling pattern of deaths at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, one of the company’s flagship hotels.
Disney superfan’s tragic death
The first death occurred on October 14, when Summer Equitz, a 31-year-old theater actor and devoted Disney enthusiast from the Chicago area, was found dead at the Contemporary Resort in what officials called an ‘apparent suicide,’ per the Independent.
She had been reported missing just hours before her body was discovered.
According to medical examiner reports, Equitz’s body was found with ‘multiple blunt impact injuries,’ suggesting she had jumped from the hotel’s iconic 14-story A-frame tower.
The tragedy unfolded in full view of horrified guests who witnessed the incident.
Equitz’s social media presence revealed her deep love for Disney. In a blog post, she described Beauty and the Beast as her ‘favorite Disney show of all time’ and called playing the character Belle a ‘dream role.’
She had gotten married the previous year, honeymooned at Disney World in October, and announced she was pregnant two months later. It remains unclear whether she had delivered the baby before her death.
Medical emergency at Fort Wilderness
The second fatality occurred Tuesday morning at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, a sprawling property that offers cabin and camping accommodations.
A man in his 60s was found unresponsive by his wife in their bed shortly after 7:30 a.m.
His wife immediately called 911, and police, resort staff, and medical responders were dispatched to the property after reports of a ‘Person Down,’ the New York Post reports.
Paramedics attempted to revive the man using an automated external defibrillator before transporting him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
“A man in his 60s experienced a medical episode and was transported to a local hospital, where, unfortunately, he died. There are no signs of foul play,” an Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed.
Officials attributed his death to a pre-existing medical condition, making it the only non-suspicious death in the recent string of fatalities.
Second death at Contemporary Resort
The most recent and third death occurred on Thursday at the Contemporary Resort, the same location where Equitz died less than two weeks earlier.
Another man in his 60s was found dead in what the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled as a suicide, per Yahoo.
A TikTok video shot Thursday morning from a guest’s window captured the grim scene: police tape cordoning off areas of the hotel’s courtyard and a large group of officers and emergency workers assembled near a water fountain.
The video quickly circulated on social media, drawing widespread attention to the incident.
Multiple guests reported unusual security measures implemented by Disney staff following the death.
Cast members knocked on guest room doors asking occupants not to look out their balcony windows.
One Facebook user described the scene: “Something happened in the back of the building with crime scene tape surrounding the water fountain. I don’t know if somebody jumped or accidentally fell to their death, but something happened. And they have an employee at every single window to shield you from looking out the back so you can’t view.”
Another TikTok post from Thursday morning stated: “We woke up to a VERY large law enforcement outside our balcony this morning at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower. We were told it was a ‘medical emergency.’ Prayers to the family & those involved.”
A history of tragedy at Contemporary Resort
The Contemporary Resort, which sits within walking distance of Magic Kingdom and features rooms exceeding $1,000 per night, has unfortunately developed a notorious reputation for suicides.
The hotel’s distinctive 14-story A-frame tower and its accessibility make it a concerning location.
Jim Hill of the Disney Dish podcast has previously spoken to the New York Post about the troubling association between the Contemporary Resort and suicides.
In 2022, he told reporters: “There’s this weird phenomenon where people who are severely depressed but want to have that one last good happy family memory will go to Walt Disney World. They’ll deliberately book a room at the Contemporary Resort, which is 14 stories tall. And after that happy family time, they will throw themselves off the building.”
Since Walt Disney World opened in 1971, a total of 68 people have reportedly died at the sprawling resort complex, which encompasses four theme parks, numerous hotels, water parks, and other recreational facilities.
The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed they are ‘still in the process of completing our exams’ regarding the most recent death.
Walt Disney World and the medical examiner’s office have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the recent deaths or announced any new safety measures.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. In the US, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for free and confidential support 24 hours a day.
In the UK, if you are experiencing feelings of distress or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans in confidence on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
