When a couple made a heartbreaking confession that over 100 people died at their wedding

It was a celebration of love and new beginnings, but for Haneen and Revan, their wedding day in northern Iraq ended in heartbreak and devastation. Nearly two years have passed since that fateful night in 2023, but the scars left by the tragedy still run deep.

What should have been a joyful occasion for the couple, surrounded by friends and family, turned into one of the most heartbreaking tragedies Iraq has witnessed in recent years. Over 100 lives were lost, and hundreds more were left injured in a deadly fire that broke out during the wedding celebration.
A night of joy turned to horror
For Haneen and Revan, their wedding was supposed to be the start of a new chapter in their lives. With nearly 900 guests gathered in a banquet hall in Qaraqosh, they celebrated with dancing and laughter. But their joyful night soon turned into a nightmare.

Around 10:30 p.m., a fire broke out, catching everyone off guard and spreading rapidly across the ceiling. Revan remembered the terrifying moment he first realized something was wrong: “We felt the heat… When I heard the crackling, I looked at the ceiling. Then the ceiling, which was all nylon, started to melt. It only took seconds”, he told Sky News in an interview.
A desperate escape amid the flames
The fire spread fast, trapping many guests inside the banquet hall. People panicked and ran to the exits, pushing and stepping over each other to escape. Revan’s focus was getting Haneen to safety. “I grabbed my wife, and I began to drag her. I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance,” Revan explained to Sky News. “As people were fleeing, people were trampling on her. Her legs are injured.”

Somehow, the couple managed to escape through a kitchen exit, but they were among the few who survived. Tragically, over 100 people died in the fire. Haneen lost 10 family members, including her mother and brother, and her father was badly injured in the chaos.

What went wrong: Safety failures and accountability
As per media reports, as investigators looked into what happened that night, they found that the banquet hall did not meet fire safety standards. The ceiling was made of highly flammable material, which helped the fire spread quickly. Because of these safety failures, parts of the building collapsed within minutes.

The exact cause of the fire is still unclear. Some believe the fireworks may have started it, but Revan thinks it could have been caused by an electrical problem in the ceiling. “It could be a short circuit, I don’t know. But the fire started in the ceiling,” he said.
The impact: Lives shattered, community grieving
Revan shared in the interview with Sky News how difficult it was to stay in a place so deeply connected to the tragedy. “That’s it, we can’t live here anymore. Every time we try to have some happiness, something tragic happens and takes it away. So, it’s best for us to leave,” he said.

“It’s true that we’re sitting here in front of you alive. But inside, we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside,” Revan explained further, expressing the grief they have carried every day since that night.
Justice and accountability
As per media reports, after the fire, 14 people were arrested, including those who set off the fireworks. The investigation found major safety failures, but the exact cause of the fire is still uncertain. Even so, the Iraqi government promised to hold those responsible accountable.“The only thing we want now is justice for those who lost their lives,” Revan said in the interview.

Moving forward amid loss
Life for Haneen and Revan will never be the same after losing so many of their loved ones. Their grief may never fully fade, but their story is a reminder of how fragile life is and why safety matters. Despite the pain, they have shown resilience, honoring those they lost while trying to rebuild. For Qaraqosh, the tragedy has left a lasting scar. What was meant to be a joyful new beginning for the couple instead became the start of a journey of loss and healing.