In a tragic incident that claimed the lives of 107 people, including a mayor and a fire chief, Iraqi authorities have taken decisive action against five officials for their “grave negligence.” The incident occurred at a wedding in the northern Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, a hub for the country’s Christian community.
Interior Minister Abdel Amir Al Shammari confirmed in a press conference that the wedding hall, with a maximum capacity of 400 people, was overcrowded that night, hosting over 900 guests. The September 26 blaze has been officially ruled an accident.
Public outrage has surged in response to the significant loss of life. Gen. Saad Faleh, leading the investigation, has confirmed the death toll at 107.
The dismissed officials, according to Shammari, include the mayor of Qaraqosh, the municipal director, the head of the tourism and recreation division, an electricity official, and the chief of firefighting and security in Nineveh province’s Civil Defence corps. The Civil Defence chief will also face a disciplinary committee for his role.
In addition to negligence, the officials were terminated for “failures in the exercise of their duties.” Shammari revealed that the mayor had authorized the wedding hall, built illegally, to operate without approval from other public agencies.
Earlier this year, Civil Defence had inspected the site, ordering the removal of the highly-flammable ceiling materials by October. The fire’s primary cause, according to Faleh, was four fireworks that emitted sparks reaching four meters high. These ignited the prefabricated ceiling panels and the hall’s decorations.
As the hall’s owner suspected a short circuit as the cause, he cut off electricity, plunging the room into darkness and causing chaos, panic, and a stampede. Of the 14 individuals previously arrested by security forces, four, including the venue’s owner, were directly responsible for installing the fireworks.
Miraculously, both the bride and groom survived the devastating fire.
This tragic incident underscores the lax adherence to safety standards in Iraq, a nation still recovering from decades of dictatorship, war, and unrest. Iraq continues to grapple with issues of corruption, mismanagement, and deteriorating infrastructure, fostering public discontent.
On a related note, Sunday marked the anniversary of the nationwide protest movement that began in October 2019. Nearly 500 demonstrators gathered in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square to commemorate the occasion, though police dispersed the crowd using sound grenades in response to protesters hurling stones.
