The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world3 days ago
It was heartbreaking. There are perhaps no words to describe what happened during a wedding in Iraq's Nineveh province on Wednesday.
It was supposed to be the special day in the lives of the bride and the bridegroom. But it ended in nightmare, the scars of which will be felt and would be tough to erase.
A fire raced through the hall hosting a Christian wedding killing over a 100 people and injured 150 others, authorities said.
The fire happened in the Hamdaniya area, a predominantly Christian area just outside of the city of Mosul, some 335 kilometres northwest of the capital, Baghdad.
The cause of the blaze was apparently because of the fireworks at the venue.
It was a sombre atmosphere days after as survivors of the fire and others, including the bridegroom, mourned the dead.
A drummer, who was at the scene, gave a chilling account of the horror.
"The fire started in the hall, the hall was full of flowers, and material made from sponge. So, when fire was out, everything caught fire. In around 10 seconds, the whole hall was on fire," he was quoted as saying by Al Arabiya English.
There were two main doors, but when the electricity came down, it became foggy in the hall. Amid the fog, people couldn't see clearly. There were around 1000 people in the hall, it is a big hall. When it became dark, people started suffocate and fell down. They wanted to rush out but they couldn't. The ceiling came down and people were stuck. They were screaming and wanted to go out but they couldn't. No one could get in to help them. Had I gone in, I would have been dead like them. We helped as many as we could to go out from the entrance of the kitchen. I saw a family (father and son) who walked out but the father went back inside to help his wife. He got burnt with her and both died," added the visibly shaken man.
Vidoes of the blaze have surfaced on social media platforms with many videos showing the start of the fire.
In the videos, the bride and the bridegroom can be seen enjoying a dance before the fire engulfs the hall.
In the aftermath, the bridegroom can seen look inconsolable as he his comforted by a friend, as others mourn the dead.
Watch the videos here: (Warning: Some readers may find the following videos disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised)
ALSO READ:
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world3 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world3 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world4 days ago
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world4 days ago
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Narendra Modi in Abuja on Sunday
world4 days ago
The titleholder's winning answer focused on using each individual's strengths
world5 days ago
The suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency, police said
world5 days ago
The attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu province
world5 days ago