At least 50 people have died, and several others have been injured after a massive fire broke out at a shopping mall in Al-Kut city, eastern Iraq, according to the Iraqi News Agency.
Wasit Province Governor Mohammed al-Mayahi said the fire started in a hypermarket and a restaurant within the mall.
He noted that families were having dinner and shopping when the fire erupted. Firefighters managed to rescue several people and later brought the blaze under control.
“A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us. The number of victims has reached about 50, both dead and injured, in this tragic fire at a major shopping center,” he said.
The governor added that ambulances continued transporting casualties until 4:00 a.m., overwhelming hospitals in Kut, a city located approximately 160 kilometres southeast of Baghdad.
Massive Fire Breaks Out at Five-Storey Shopping Mall in Iraq
Videos shared on social media showed flames engulfing a five-storey building as firefighters battled the blaze overnight.
People were seen calmly filing out of the building, as flames raged directly overhead.
Crowds gathered in a fenced area outside the mall during daylight hours, with emergency vehicles parked nearby, photos posted on Telegram showed.
Civil Defense teams were able to reach people trapped on the upper floors of the hypermarket, which was completely consumed by flames just days after its opening.
In the early hours of Thursday, scenes of grief unfolded as the bodies of the victims were brought to the Forensic Medicine Department at Al-Zahraa Hospital in Kut.
Families gathered outside the facility in mourning, waiting to identify their loved ones.
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Wasit Governor Vows Justice as Mall Fire Probe Begins
As of the time of publishing, the cause of the fire had not been confirmed. However, the governor stated that preliminary findings from the investigation would be released within 48 hours.
“We have filed lawsuits against the owner of the building and the mall,” he revealed.
“We assure the innocent victims that we will not tolerate those who were a direct or indirect cause of this incident,”
Authorities have launched a formal probe into the incident, and three days of mourning have been declared in Wasit province.
Fires remain a recurring threat in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where enforcement of fire and safety regulations is often lax. The risk intensifies during the summer months, as extreme heat increases the likelihood of electrical faults and other fire hazards.
Several factors contribute to this vulnerability, including aging infrastructure, overcrowded public spaces, poorly maintained electrical systems, and a widespread lack of basic fire safety measures.
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