Fire at Christian wedding in Iraq kills at least 100 people

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Firefighters in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh on Wednesday searched the burned wedding hall for victims’ bodies. The region is predominantly Christian. A fire ripped through the packed building Tuesday night where hundreds of people celebrated after a church wedding service. The fire killed at least 113 people, Nineveh Deputy Governor Hassan al-Allaq told Reuters. Local media reported that at least 150 more people were injured. The bride and groom were not hurt, the groom’s father told CNN.

What caused the fire? Flares lit during the celebration hit the ceiling and caught the building on fire, eyewitnesses said. The wedding hall was covered in highly flammable building materials that violated safety regulations, Iraqi Civil Defense told a state news agency. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an investigation into the fire.

Dig deeper: Read Kevin DeYoung’s column in WORLD Opinions about how Christians can respond to tragedy.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.