Iraqi Wedding Fire: Bride, Groom Lose Family Members in Devastating Fire; Expert Highlights Need for Mental Health Support

Iraq wedding fire: Blaze kills over 100 people, including groom's mother and brides entire family.

A devastating fire at an Iraqi wedding on Wednesday claimed the lives of several family members of the bride and groom. The couple, identified as Revan, 27, and bride, Haneen, 18, say they feel they are "dead inside" despite surviving the blaze, which started inside a packed wedding hall in Qaraqosh, in the Nineveh province of northern Iraq. As per reports, they are receiving mental health counseling to cope with the unbearable loss.

In an interview after the devastating incident, the groom said he lost 15 members of his family in the fire, adding his bride "can't speak" after the loss of 10 of her relatives, including her mother and brother. Her father is also in a critical condition.

WATCH: Extremely terrifying footage of the wedding that became a graveyard Over 100 killed as fire rips through the marriage hall in Iraq.

Our continued prayers and thoughts are with the victims and families of the over 100 dead and 150 injured due to the wedding tragedy in Northern Iraq. The dead and injured come from the #Syriac#Catholic community of #Qaraqosh, #Iraq.🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/bfUmvRwFyU Iraqi Christian Foundation (@iraqschristians) October 1, 2023

In the video footage from the wedding ceremony, which has gone viral on the internet, the couple is seen dancing while burning objects fall from the roof.

What happened at the wedding ceremony? A massive fire broke out at a wedding hall in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. According to the reports, officials believe that the fire started in the kitchen and quickly spread throughout the building. Guests and staff were able to evacuate the building safely, but several family members of the bride and groom were trapped inside.

Speaking to the local media, the mourning couple said, "Our relatives, our friends, our loved ones are all gone.. Two days ago we buried her [Haneen's] uncle and his two daughters. Yesterday we buried her other uncle. Today we buried his daughter and we buried her mother. Her father is in a critical condition. We don't know what his condition is," Revan said.

Video shows the aftermath of the fire in a wedding hall in Hamdaniyah110 dead including bride and groom 550 injured #Iraq#Hamdaniyah#Firepic.twitter.com/2duD5vmoks North X (@__NorthX) September 27, 2023

It was during the dance, he said, that a power cut took place - and when the electricity came back on he "saw fire" in the ceiling.

People began to "scream" and "run away" at that point. "I don't know, it might be a short-circuit. But the ceiling is where the fire began. We experienced heat. I looked up at the ceiling when I heard the crackling," he stated. "Then the nylon-covered ceiling began to dissolve. It simply took a little while.

Expert Calls for Mental Health Support for Iraqi Couple After Wedding Fire

An expert has highlighted the need for mental health support for the bride and groom, as well as other survivors of the fire.

According to Dr. Layla Karim, a psychiatrist at Baghdad University, "The bride and groom are likely to be experiencing a range of difficult emotions, such as grief, shock, anger, and guilt." They must have access to mental health services in order to reconstruct their life and deal with these emotions.

Dr. Karim also emphasized the significance of providing mental health assistance to other fire survivors, such as bystanders and first responders.

"Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event, such as a fire, may benefit from mental health support," she said. "Mental health professionals can help people to cope with the emotional and psychological effects of trauma."