{"id":2346,"date":"2023-10-03T06:08:38","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T06:08:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/03\/wedding-fire-leaves-christian-groom-and-bride-struggling-to-heal-emotionally\/"},"modified":"2023-10-03T06:08:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T06:08:38","slug":"wedding-fire-leaves-christian-groom-and-bride-struggling-to-heal-emotionally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/03\/wedding-fire-leaves-christian-groom-and-bride-struggling-to-heal-emotionally\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding Fire Leaves Christian Groom and Bride Struggling to Heal Emotionally"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The moment Christian bridegroom Revan, also identified as Ivan Esho (L), 27, and his bride Haneen (R), 18, realized a fire was breaking out at their wedding celebration in Iraq. <\/span> | YouTube\/Sky News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Christian groom and his bride who lost more than 100 of their friends and family members after a fire broke out during their wedding celebration at a banquet hall in Iraq\u2019s biggest Christian town<\/a>\u00a0in northern Nineveh province on Sept. 26, say even though they survived the blaze, they feel \u201cdead inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

“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,” the groom Revan, 27, also identified as Ivan Esho<\/a>, told Sky News<\/a> about himself and his bride, 18-year-old Haneen.<\/p>\n

Iraqi Joint Operations Command Spokesperson Major General Pilot Tahseen Al Khafaji previously\u00a0told CNN<\/a>\u00a0that there were some 1,300 guests in attendance at the event when the fire broke out at\u00a0approximately 10:45 p.m. local time<\/a>. Survivors\u00a0told Reuters<\/a>\u00a0that the guests had gathered at the banquet hall following an earlier church service. They were only inside for about one hour when fireworks ignited a fire among the decorations in the ceiling as the newlyweds danced. In addition to the people who died, more than 150 others were left injured.<\/p>\n

Revan, who says his whole family has been devastated, said he doesn\u2019t believe that fireworks should be blamed for the disaster.<\/p>\n

“It could be a short-circuit, I don’t know. But the fire started in the ceiling. We felt the heat \u2026 When I heard the crackling, I looked at the ceiling,” he told the news channel.<\/p>\n

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Christian bridegroom Revan, also identified as Ivan Esho (L), 27, and his bride Haneen (R), 18, in the aftermath of more than 100 people dying at their wedding celebration in Iraq.<\/span> | YouTube\/Sky News<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Then the ceiling, which was all nylon, started to melt. It only took seconds,” Revan explained.<\/p>\n

He said there was a power cut during the celebration and when the power came back, he \u201csaw fire\u201d in the ceiling. When people started to \u201cscream\u201d and \u201crun away,\u201d Revan said he grabbed Haneen and made his escape.<\/p>\n

“I grabbed my wife, and I began to drag her. I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance,\u201d he recalled noting that his wife could not walk because of her wedding dress. \u201cAs people were fleeing, people were trampling on her. Her legs are injured.”<\/p>\n

A\u00a0statement<\/a>\u00a0from Iraq\u2019s Ministry of Interior previously noted that: \u201cInitial information indicates that fireworks were used during the wedding ceremony, which initially ignited a fire inside the hall. The fire spread very quickly, and the matter was exacerbated by the toxic gas emissions associated with the burning of the highly flammable Ecobond plastic panels, which caused casualties and injuries among families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Revan told Sky News that he and his bride can no longer remain in their town due to the tragedy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0“That’s it, we can’t live here anymore. We can’t live here anymore,\u201d he said. “I mean, every time we try to have some happiness, something tragic happens to us and destroys the happiness. So, it’s best for us to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: “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 critical condition. We don’t know what his condition is.”<\/p>\n

And that doesn\u2019t cover all the close family deaths for the couple.<\/p>\n

“My aunt died. My sister had burns. Her husband has burns all over his body. My uncle lost seven members. So many people. And every day we hear more news,\u201d Revan said.<\/p>\n

“On the wedding night \u2026 why did this happen?\u201d he asked. \u201cWhat did we do? Why did this happen?”<\/p>\n