Baghdad: Iraqi bride, Haneen, bid farewell to her father on Tuesday, October 3, who died from severe burn injuries sustained after a massive fire broke out at her wedding.
A video clip circulated on social media platforms showed the 18-year-old Haneen, known as the “Hamdaniya Bride,” crying and gasping at her father’s funeral, while her husband, 27-year-old Revan, comforts her during the emotional process.
The wedding hall in Nineveh’s Hamdaniya district caught fire at about 10:45 pm local time on September 26. Christian newlyweds, Haneen and Revan, were enjoying a slow dance when the tragedy struck.
Footage shows guests at dinner tables listening to music as flames billow from a large chandelier above them.
At least 108 people died and 150 guests suffered burns, smoke inhalation or were injured during the stampede as they panicked and rushed to leave the venue.
Haneen, lost ten members of her family, including her mother and brother, while her husband, Revan, lost 15 of his relatives.
In an interview with Sky News, Revan expressed the emotional impact of the tragedy, stating, “It’s true that we’re sitting here in front of you alive. But inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside.”
The government investigations into a massive fire revealed gross negligence and failure to provide safety supplies in the hall as the cause.
