Kirkuk man loses home to fire just two weeks after wedding

KIRKUK — A man with a disability in Kirkuk lost his home to a fire just 15 days after his wedding, turning what he called a “new beginning” into devastation.

Ali Nureddin, a resident of the Panja Ali neighborhood, said an electrical short circuit ignited a blaze late Saturday that destroyed the house he had recently built. “Fifteen days ago, I got married and built a small house, but an electrical short circuit burned everything,” he told 964media.

Nureddin, who lost both legs in a work accident last year while operating a shovel at a concrete plant, said he escaped with only his wheelchair. He now lives on a disability pension and has fallen behind on rent. “I live in a rented house and haven’t paid the rent for two months. I ask the authorities to help me and not leave me alone as I try to rebuild my life,” he said.

Neighbors said the fire began when an electrical wire touched insulation material, spreading quickly through the structure before firefighters could arrive.