Iraq

A fire at a wedding party in northern Iraq has so far killed more than 100 people and injured several more. The first reports came from Iraqi media, which reported that about nine people had lost their lives. However, the figure was quickly revised upwards by the local authorities, and around 02:00 Danish time, the latest reports from the area’s governor, Hasan al-Allaq, were that 113 people had died. The wedding celebration was held in the northwestern Iraqi province of Nineveh. The fire started when fireworks were lit for the wedding. Preliminary investigations into the fire indicate that the building that housed the wedding venue was constructed of highly flammable materials, contributing to the building’s rapid collapse, according to the Iraqi news agency INA. /ritzau/