A wedding is typically the joyous peak of a couple's life together, yet for one pair of newlyweds, it became the backdrop for a devastating loss.

The bride, 18-year-old Haneen, and her 27-year-old groom, Revan, have publicly addressed the tragic event.

What was meant to be a joyous celebration of their union turned into a day of immense sorrow.

By the close of what should have been their special day, they mourned the loss of 107 loved ones, including many family members.

A significant number of their friends and relatives perished at the wedding location in Iraq's Nineveh province.

The tragedy was the result of a massive, uncontrollable fire.

The blaze erupted at a well-known wedding venue in Qaraqosh, close to Mosul, during a ceremony attended by over 900 guests.

According to Jamil al-Jamil, a friend of the couple, speaking to AFP as reported by BBC News: "The bride lost her whole family – three brothers, all of her uncles and her young cousins."

"The groom lost his mother."

The chairman of the Al-Hamdaniya Fire Incident Investigation Committee confirmed that at least 82 others were injured.

In an interview with Sky News, Revan tried to clarify how the fire started, explaining: "It could be a short-circuit, I don't know. But the fire started in the ceiling. 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 noted that there was a power outage just before their first dance, and soon after, he saw flames spreading across the ceiling.

Speaking from the hospital to an Associated Press journalist, one of the injured recounted: "[The bride and groom] were about to do a slow dance and then they lit up this thing for the dance which caught fire."

Revan described how he had to rescue his wife during the incident, saying: "I kept dragging her and trying to get her out of the kitchen entrance. As people were fleeing, people were trampling on her."

He added: "Her legs are injured."

Officials noted that the presence of flammable materials in the building contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

It is also suspected that the disorganized evacuation exacerbated the loss of life.

Revan mentioned that there was only one fire extinguisher available, which unfortunately did not function.

Martin Idriss, 19, who was in the kitchen when the fire erupted, shared his experience with the Daily Mail: "I thought there had been an explosion."

"The flames were devouring the whole hall."

Rania Waad, a 17-year-old wedding guest who sustained burns on her hand, described the moment to reporters: As the bride and groom "were slow dancing, the fireworks (flames) started to climb to the ceiling (and) the whole hall went up in flames."

"We couldn't see anything. We were suffocating. We didn't know how to get out," she added.

After the fire, the venue was left littered with burnt metal and debris, presenting a somber scene for anyone passing through.

Bandaged survivors made their way to nearby hospitals where they were given crucial oxygen support.

As families waited anxiously in hospital hallways and outside, staff hurried to secure more oxygen cylinders. The presence of injured children intensified the already heartrending scene.

The sound of ambulance sirens resonated for hours as paramedics worked relentlessly to transport the injured to medical facilities.

In response to the disaster, Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al Sudani took to social media to announce that he had spoken with the governor of Nineveh and the ministers of home and health, instructing them to mobilize all efforts to aid those impacted by the tragic event.

Health Ministry spokesman Saif al Badr, as reported by Yahoo, mentioned initial reports indicated the fire was triggered by a pyrotechnic mishap, though Revan insists it began in the ceiling.

According to the Daily Mail, civil defense authorities reported that the hall was equipped with prefabricated panels that were highly flammable and did not meet safety standards.

The situation was made worse by the release of toxic gases from the burning of these plastic-containing panels.

Following the incident, fourteen individuals were arrested, including the owner of the hall and four people responsible for the fireworks, according to the BBC.

Several of the arrested individuals have been released since the incident.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for the severest penalties allowed by law for those whose negligence or failures contributed to this tragic fire.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari stated, as reported by the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Fireworks were the main cause of the fire."

He further asserted that the fire 'was accidental and 100% an act of God'.

According to the BBC, Mr. Shammari pointed out that the hall's capacity was 500, yet it held 'twice the number' and lacked 'emergency doors'.

He added: "The hall's owner thought that a short circuit had started the fire, so he cut the electricity, which had a significant impact. This provoked chaos, panic and a stampede."

British fire safety expert Arnold Tarling shared his insights with the BBC: "There should be 'firebreaks' in the ceiling and floor. Materials shouldn't be combustible, including wedding decorations."

He added: "These sort of fires are all completely avoidable. People bring fireworks to such events, but nobody ever thinks about it."

Revan has opened up about the emotional toll of the tragedy, saying: "Inside we are dead. We are numb. We are dead inside."

He concluded: "Our relatives, our friends, our loved ones are all gone."

Following the incident, the couple announced they will be leaving their hometown.

"That's it, we can't live here anymore. We can't live here anymore. 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," Revan said.

He added: "On the wedding night… why did this happen? What did we do? Why did this happen?"