TEHRAN - The spokesman for the Iranian government in a tweet on Thursday offered his condolences to the family members of the victims of a gas cylinder explosion in a wedding ceremony in the town of Saqez in Kurdistan province on Thursday night. 

“Unfortunately, a sum of 11 of our Kurdish compatriots, who had gathered to celebrate the beginning of a new life, lost their lives due to the gas explosion. Some others were also wounded in the blast. I, as the government spokesman, express my condolences to our Kurdish compatriots and the victims’ family members,” Ali Rabiei said. 

“The government will do its best for treatment of the injured,” Rabiei vowed. 

A sum of 11 people, including 5 children, 5 women and a man lost their lives in the explosion and the following fire in the wedding hall.

In the meantime, Hossein Khosh Eqbal, Kurdistan’s deputy governor general for social, security and political affairs, said, “11 invitees to the wedding ceremony were killed and 38 more were wounded. The injured were transferred to the nearest medical centers by the emergency and rescue staff.”

Eqbal added three of the wounded people are in critical condition.

Kurdistan governor general Bahman Moradnia, for his part, sent a message of condolence to the bereaved families and announced a day of public mourning in the province. 

He also visited the scene of the incident to see the reasons behind the blast and meet the families of the victims. 

MJ/PA