03 Oct Iraq Wedding Fire: Probe finds ‘gross negligence’
An official investigation into the devastating Iraqi wedding fire in Baghdad last week found that ‘gross negligence’ was the cause of the over 100 deaths.
The wedding organisers have been fired from their job roles, and face further judgement from government organizations, after 10 employees and three people who set off the fireworks were arrested last week.
Fireworks that were allowed to be launched indoors, set alight ceiling decorations and the hall panels, built from highly combustible materials.
The venue had over 900 people attending, however, the building only had capacity for 400.
The results of the investigation were announced by Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari at a news conference on Sunday.
“Using flammable decoration helped the fire spread quickly and transformed the hall into a fireball,” Shammari said.
He added that the blaze trapped people inside the hall and that rescue teams struggled to reach them due to there being only a few small doors.
Over 150 people were injured as a result of the fire, some suffering from broken bones, and others faced medical complications as a result of smoke inhalation.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited victims, paying his respect to those who had lost their lives, and promised he would hold those responsible to account.