Story highlights
Celebratory gunshots hit an electrical pole sparking fire
23 people killed and dozens injured during wedding
Most of the dead were women, local media reported
Celebratory gunshots sparked an electrical fire that tore through a wedding party in Saudi Arabia, killing 23 people and injuring more than two dozen others, state media reported Wednesday.
Tuesday night’s fire in Bqaiq governorate in the eastern part of the kingdom started after wedding guests fired into the air to celebrate the union.
The shots struck an electrical pole that then collapsed, according to Al Ekhbariya TV, citing the regional civil defense chief in the area.
Most of the dead were women, the television network reported.
Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, governor of the eastern region, offered his condolences to the victims and ordered an investigation into the fire, the Saudi Press Agency reported.