TEHRAN, Mar 16 (NNN-IRNA) – At least 11 people died and 486 others injured, during celebrations of Chaharshanbe Suri, or Fire Festival, the Iranian state TV reported, on Tuesday.
Among the wounded, 49 people were amputated for severe injuries, Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman of Iran’s Emergency Organisation, was quoted as saying.
Most of the casualties, up by 47 percent from last year, occurred in the past four or five days, Khaledi said.
Fire Festival is celebrated by Iranians on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz, the Iranian new year, which begins on Mar 21, this year. The celebrations this year started days ago and reached their climax last night.
Iranians celebrate the Fire Festival by jumping over bonfires and using firecrackers in public places, which are the rites performed, to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year.– NNN-IRNA
