100 killed, 150 injured after massive fire breaks out at wedding hall in Iraq

Iraq: In a heartbreaking incident, at least 100 people were killed and 150 injured after a massive fire broke out at a wedding hall  in northern Iraq.

The tragic incident occurred in the Al-Hamdaniya district of Iraq’s northern Nineveh province on Tuesday evening.

The cause of the fire is yet to be known, but initial reports suggest that it may have been triggered by fire works.

Pictures shared by the Iranian news agency Nina showed dozens of firefighters battling the fire, and photos from local journalists revealed the charred remnants of the marriage hall.

Firefighters could be seen climbing over the wreckage of the building in search of survivors in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to a video filmed at the site by a correspondent for news agency Reuters.

Eyewitnesses said hundreds of people were there celebrating when the fire engulfed the hall around 10:45 local time (19:45 GMT).

Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old who managed to escape the inferno, described the harrowing scene: “We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out, and those who didn’t got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken.”