A couple’s wedding day is often referred to as the happiest day of their lives, a day full of love, joy, and celebration. However, for Haneen and Revan, their wedding day turned into a heartbreaking tragedy that left them feeling “dead inside”. The couple’s special day ended in unimaginable sadness as a fire at their wedding claimed the lives of over 100 guests.
The scene of this devastating event was the Nineveh province of Iraq, where Haneen and Revan planned to celebrate their love surrounded by friends and family. What should have been a joyous event quickly turned into a nightmare when a fire engulfed the wedding venue.
Haneen, 18, lost her mother and brother in addition to 10 other family members, while her 27-year-old husband, Revan, lost a total of 15 relatives when a wedding hall in Qaracosh, near the city of Mosul, caught fire on Tuesday.
Revan said, “We’re dead inside.” It was supposed to be their happiest day and the beginning of their married life together. We are deaf. We are completely lifeless.
Revan continued, “After the unfortunate event that landed her father in the hospital’s intensive care unit, his wife remarked that he was ‘unable to speak’.
Revan speculated that the origin of the fire may have been the building’s ceiling, which was believed to have been ignited by internal explosives.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I don’t know, it could be a short circuit. But the ceiling is where the fire started.
We felt the heat. I looked up at the ceiling when I heard a crack.
The roof, which was all nylon, then began to melt. Only a few seconds passed.
Just before their first dance, the power went out, and when it came back on, he remembered seeing flames in the ceiling.
The husband described how his new bride was unable to escape on her own due to her long wedding dress and that he had to drag her to safety.
I pulled her steadily, trying to get her out of the kitchen door. People trampled on her while running away,” he claimed.
Her legs hurt.
All our loved ones – relatives, friends, and acquaintances – died.
The horrific fire claimed the lives of aunts, uncles, mums, siblings, and cousins, and the couple is now anxiously awaiting word on Haneen’s father’s condition.
In an interview with local media, the couple said that the trauma they had experienced had “destroyed” their ability to be happy and that they would no longer be able to live in their hometown. “The crushing blow of losing so many family members far outweighs the ‘light burns’ they suffered in the fire,” noted the couple’s friend Jamil al-Jamil. The entire family of the bride was killed, including her little cousins, three brothers, and all her uncles.
The groom’s mother died.
Authorities have now claimed that flammable building materials played a role in the disaster.
The aftermath of the fire was chaotic, with various agencies and wedding venue staff trapping varying numbers of victims while security officers investigated.
Authorities investigating the incident indicated that flammable construction materials may have contributed to the disaster. However, there is no official explanation for the fire at this time. After the tragedy, conflicting death tolls were reported by various authorities, and staff at the wedding venue were detained while security officials investigated.
Amidst the grief and unanswered questions, Haneen and Revan, along with their community, must deal with the profound loss and trauma caused by this tragic fire. A day that should have been filled with love and celebration turned into a devastating reminder of the fragility of life and the lasting pain of loss.