Haneen and Revan’s wedding in Qaraqosh, Iraq, turned from joy to tragedy when a fire broke out during their celebration, attended by 900 guests. As the couple danced, flames suddenly engulfed the ceiling, melting nylon panels and spreading panic. Revan recalled hearing the crackling sound and seeing the ceiling catch fire within seconds. Amid chaos, he struggled to pull Haneen to safety as people trampled over her. Though they escaped through a kitchen door, the fire claimed over 100 lives and injured 150 more.
Tragically, Haneen lost ten family members, including her mother and brother, while her father sustained severe injuries. The fire was believed to be caused by fireworks igniting the hall’s flammable ceiling—materials that violated safety regulations. Despite earlier warnings from the groom’s father about using fireworks, the venue staff had dismissed the concerns, claiming they were harmless. In the aftermath, fourteen people were arrested, and Iraq’s prime minister vowed accountability and stricter safety enforcement.
The trauma left deep scars. Haneen hasn’t spoken since the incident, and both she and Revan were forced to flee their hometown, unable to bear the pain of what was supposed to be their happiest day. “We are alive, but dead inside,” Revan said in a heartbreaking interview, expressing their emotional devastation. Their dreams were reduced to ashes, and the memory of that night haunts them constantly.
