Death toll from Wednesday fire festival in Iran reported at least 19 dead and 2,817 injured
The spokesman for Iran’s Emergency Organization on Wednesday, the 25th of Esfand, reported that 2,817 people were injured and 19 people died in incidents related to the Wednesday fire festival.
According to Mojtaba Khaldi, the highest number of deaths occurred in the two provinces of East Azerbaijan and Qom.
He also stated that 34 of the injured have been hospitalized in intensive care units.
Earlier, the head of the country’s Emergency Organization had said that from the beginning of Bahman until the 24th of Esfand of the current year, 1,100 people were injured and 17 people were killed in Wednesday fire festival incidents.
Jaafar Miaadfarfar told the Tasnim News Agency on Tuesday, the 24th of Esfand: “92 of the injured suffered limb amputations, 470 people suffered eye injuries, and 540 people suffered burns.”
During the Wednesday fire festival ceremony last year, 1,894 people were injured, 131 people had limbs amputated, and 9 people died.
Iranian authorities say the use of flammable materials in Wednesday fire festival fireworks is the main cause of these incidents.
Hosein Rahimi, the head of the capital’s police, also announced on Tuesday that 52 people were arrested for what he called “deviant behavior.”
Source: Radio Farda
