Fire festival accidents kill 27, injure over 4k across Iran

An Iranian official says 27 people lost their lives in accidents prior to and during the Iranian festival of fire, an ancient tradition celebrated ahead of the Persian year, reporting a 14-percent rise in the number of injuries compared to last year.

Speaking to reporters, Head of Iran’s National Medical Emergency Organization Jafar Miadfar said 4,095 people were also wounded in the same accidents, with 278 people being hospitalized.

Out of the total number of the injured, 222 people lost a body part, he added.

Iranians have been celebrating this festival, called Chaharshanbe Souri, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year since ancient times.

The festival involves jumping over fire ,mainly brushwood, but Charshanbe Suri has deviated from its original rituals in recent decades and the extensive use of fireworks has been causing huge casualties and material damage each year now.

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