Fire Kills Wedding Party In Iraq Due To Negligence: Excess Capacity And Decomposition Is Easy To Burn

Illustration of the fire. (Wikimedia Commons/DVIDSHUB)

JAKARTA - A deadly fire incident in a wedding building in Iraq that killed more than 100 people was caused by heavy negligence and lack of security measures, according to a government investigation.

In a press conference on the results of the investigation, Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari said hall owners and three other staff members had allowed 900 people to crowd the party, while the hall's capacity was designed only to accommodate a maximum of 400 people.

"The fire was an accidental accident, it was due to heavy negligence," according to the results of the investigation.

"The use of flammable decorations helps the fire spread quickly and turns the room into a fireball," said Minister Shammari.

The fire trapped people in the wedding hall, causing rescue teams to find it difficult to reach them because the exit was small and small, Shammari said.

As previously reported, at least 150 people were injured in the fire that occurred in Hamdaniya City, also known as Qaraqosh.

The Minister of Home Affairs said the death toll reached 107 people, saying the investigative panel had proposed that the government provide financial assistance to the families of the dead and injured.

In addition, the results of the investigation also recommended legal action against local officials.

Last week, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani promised to hold those in charge of visiting fire victims at two local hospitals on Thursday.