What was meant to be a day of joy, love, and celebration turned into an unimaginable nightmare for newlyweds Haneen and Revan when their wedding took a tragic turn, resulting in the deaths of over 100 guests and injuries to at least 150 others. Instead of cherishing the happiest day of their lives, the young couple found themselves mourning the loss of their loved ones, left with nothing but heartbreak and an overwhelming sense of grief.
The horrifying incident occurred during their wedding reception at a grand banquet hall in Qaraqosh, a predominantly Christian town in the Nineveh province of northern Iraq. With approximately 900 guests in attendance, the evening was meant to be a lively and memorable affair. However, within minutes, the joyous atmosphere was replaced by sheer panic as a massive fire broke out inside the venue. The disaster unfolded between 10:00 and 10:45 p.m., just as the newlyweds took the floor for their first dance.
Initially, reports suggested that the fire had been triggered by fireworks. However, in a recent interview, groom Revan revealed that he believes the fire actually started in the ceiling. Speaking to the media, he recounted the harrowing moment when he noticed something was terribly wrong. “It could have been an electrical short circuit, I don’t know for sure,” he explained. “But I remember feeling an intense wave of heat. When I looked up, I heard crackling sounds, and suddenly the ceiling, which was covered in nylon, began to melt. It happened in mere seconds.”
The use of fireworks during the couple’s dance has been at the center of speculation regarding the fire’s origin. Revan confirmed that two small fireworks were set off at the beginning of their dance, followed by four more shortly afterward. The groom’s father had previously voiced his concerns about using fireworks indoors, fearing that sparks could pose a danger to the couple and their guests. However, the venue owners had reportedly assured them that the fireworks were “electric” and incapable of igniting a fire.
Tragically, these reassurances proved to be false. The moment guests realized the fire had broken out, chaos erupted inside the hall. People screamed in terror, pushing and trampling over one another in desperate attempts to escape. The smoke spread rapidly, and in the commotion, many became trapped inside.
Revan recalled his frantic struggle to save his bride. “I grabbed Haneen and started dragging her,” he recounted. “We were trying to make our way out through the kitchen entrance, but the crowd was in a state of complete panic. People were trampling on her, and her legs got injured.”
Despite their desperate attempts to flee, the couple soon realized that the hall’s safety measures were woefully inadequate. “There was only one fire extinguisher in the entire venue,” Revan stated. “And even that didn’t work.”
Among the wedding attendees was a guest named Nirvan, who miraculously managed to escape. He later described the horrifying scene, recalling how quickly the fire consumed the ceiling. “The flames spread almost instantly, engulfing the entire hall,” he said. “The Civil Defense teams arrived over 30 minutes later, but by then, it was too late. There were too many casualties, too many people wounded.”
The newlyweds barely made it out alive, escaping through a side entrance in the kitchen. However, many of their closest family members did not survive. Haneen, in particular, suffered unimaginable loss—her mother, brother, and at least ten other relatives perished in the fire. Her father was left in critical condition, fighting for his life.
Authorities later confirmed that the banquet hall had been constructed with low-cost, highly flammable materials, violating basic safety regulations. The Iraqi Civil Defence Directorate revealed that the fire was exacerbated by these materials, leading to the rapid collapse of parts of the building. According to Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, a preliminary investigation concluded that the fire was indeed caused by fireworks, which ignited the ceiling, causing it to burn intensely before collapsing onto the guests below.
Following the tragedy, legal action was swiftly taken against those deemed responsible. At least 14 individuals were arrested, including four people directly involved in setting off the fireworks. While some were later released, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has vowed to ensure that those guilty of negligence or wrongdoing face the most severe punishments permitted by law. He also ordered authorities to conduct rigorous inspections of public venues such as banquet halls, shopping centers, and restaurants to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
For Haneen and Revan, the trauma of that fateful night is something they will never be able to escape. Forced to bury their family and friends instead of celebrating their union, the couple has made the painful decision to leave their hometown. Overwhelmed by the memories of loss and suffering, they feel they can no longer stay in Qaraqosh.
Haneen, devastated beyond words, has been unable to speak since the incident. The grief has consumed her, leaving her emotionally shattered. Revan, speaking on their behalf, expressed the unbearable pain they now carry. “That’s it,” he said. “We can’t live here anymore. Every time we try to find happiness, something tragic happens and takes it all away. It’s better for us to leave.”
His final words encapsulated the profound sorrow that has engulfed their lives. “Yes, we’re alive,” he said. “But inside, we are dead. We feel nothing. We are numb. We are dead inside.”
Their wedding day, which was meant to be the beginning of a lifetime of joy and love, has instead become a haunting memory of unimaginable loss. The scars left by that night will remain with them forever.