DFA ascertaining identities of 14 Filipino fatalities in Iraq hotel fire

A police officer walks towards the scene of a fire in a hotel and adjacent massage parlor which has killed several people and injured others Frida, Feb. 5, 2016, in Irbil, capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Nawzad Hadi, the governor of Irbil, said the fire broke out in the sauna of the Hotel Capitol at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon. He said that 15 of the victims were identified as from the Philippines, three were Iraqis and one was Palestinian. AP Photo

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is ascertaining the identities of at least 14 Filipinos who have died in a hotel fire in Iraq.

“Initial report we received from our embassy in Baghdad says that 14 Filipinos are among the at least 19 people who died in a fire that struck Capitol Hotel in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a statement on Saturday.

“[The] embassy is in touch with Kurdistan Regional Government to ascertain the identities of Filipino victims. [The] acting ambassador [is] flying to Erbil to personally lead the effort,” Jose added. RAM

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