Al-Hamdaniyah fire was accidental and caused by fiery source touched flammable materials: Investigation Committee

Baghdad- INA

Al-Hamdaniya Fire Incident Investigation Committee announced on Sunday the results of the investigation into the incident, and while it indicated that it was caused by a fire source that touched flammable materials, it confirmed that the incident was accidental.

The head of the Committee, Major General Saad Faleh Ksar Al-Dulaimi, said at a press conference, attended by the reporter of the Iraqi News Agency INA that "the Al-Haytham hall where the wedding took place in Hamdaniya wedding can accommodate only 500 people, where about 600 people were evacuated from inside the Hall," indicating that "the rapid collapse of the building contributed to hindering rescue operations.

He pointed that "The unfortunate fire incident led to the death of 107 people and 82 injured”.

The adviser to the minister of the Interior, Major General Kadhim Bohan, confirmed during the conference that" the incident is accidental and unintentional, and there are shortcomings from the owners of the wedding hall, "pointed out that “fireworks generated very high thermal energy and was used inside the hall, as the decoration on the ceiling of the hall is sensitive to heat and flammable, in addition to that the floor of the hall is also flammable, and the hall contains a storage of large quantities of alcohol”.

He said that" the organizers of the fireworks inside the Hall, bear responsibility, "pointing out that “the power cut in the hall, caused panic”.

He stressed "The Hall does not have multiple exit doors,” noting that "the lack of safety requirements in the hall was a big cause of the fire”.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari explained, during the conference, that “the owner of the Hall pulled out the camera surveillance device and fled to Erbil, where he was arrested and showed the recordings”.

He added that "the ceiling of the hall contains flammable materials, and the alcohol spread in the hall and the carpet used on the floor of the Hall, led to this tragic fire".

He pointed out that "the Hall had numbers above its capacity, and there are no emergency doors".

He stated that "the Investigative Committee of the Al-Hamdaniya fire incident recommended that the victims of Al-Hamdaniya be considered martyrs, being a religious minority, and follow-up the investigation of the accused and coordination with the judiciary and witnesses," explaining that "the committee recommends the discharging of the director of Al-Hamdaniya Municipality due to negligence with his referral to the judiciary, discharging the director of the tourism classification division in Nineveh and refer him to the judiciary, discharging  the director of Al-Hamdaniya electricity after his negligence and refer him to the judiciary, and discharging  the director of the fire department in Nineveh and the director of Civil Defense and the formation of an investigative Council.