Kurdistan Region records fires and injuries during New Year's Eve
Shafaq News/ New Year's celebrations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) witnessed various incidents including traffic accidents and fires, resulting in several injuries.
The Director of the Al-Sulaymaniyah Emergency Center, Saman Nader, told Shafaq News Agency, "13 injuries were recorded during last night's celebrations in the city, including traffic accidents, altercations, cases of suffocation, and injuries caused by fireworks."
In Erbil, the province recorded 10 minor injuries during New Year’s celebrations, a medical source reported to Shafaq News.
Civil Defense spokesperson Shakhwan Saeed told Shafaq News that two fires occurred in Erbil. No human casualties were reported.
"The first incident was caused by fireworks, igniting a room in a house in Ankawa. The fire was quickly contained. The second fire occurred while gasoline was being transferred from a car," he explained.
The Head of the Fire Department's Media Office, Colonel Pyor Abdulaziz, told Shafaq News that Duhok had a safe New Year's Eve without incidents, adding that this achievement reflects the citizens’ commitment to safety guidelines and their cooperation with local authorities.
He continued, "Firefighting teams were fully prepared to handle any emergencies, and the local government formed a strict security committee to ensure the safety of citizens during the night.”
Duhok did not host any official New Year celebrations, but hundreds of families gathered for private celebrations in restaurants and cafes across the city, he revealed.
Meanwhile, Saif Al-Badr, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, announced earlier on Wednesday that 183 people were injured due to fireworks and stray gunfire during New Year’s celebrations in Baghdad and other provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region.
The ministry spokesperson confirmed that no fatalities had been recorded so far, despite the severity of some injuries.
However, security sources reported that two young men died in Baghdad due to stray gunfire during the New Year’s celebrations.
