Baghdad : A devastating fire tore through a five-storey commercial building in Kut city, eastern Iraq, killing at least 61 people and leaving several others unaccounted for, the country’s Interior Ministry confirmed on Thursday, as reported by various media outlets.
The blaze erupted late Wednesday night in a newly opened building that housed a hypermarket, a restaurant, and various retail shops. The facility had been in operation for just one week.
According to the Interior Ministry, civil defence teams managed to rescue at least 45 people and recovered 14 charred bodies from the site. A local health official, quoting Reuters, stated that while 59 victims have been identified so far, one body was burned beyond recognition, bringing the confirmed death toll to 61.
Wasit province Governor Mohammed Al-Mayahi said the fire originated in both the hypermarket and an adjacent restaurant. “A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” he lamented, confirming that many families were shopping and dining inside the complex when the fire rapidly spread.
Emergency responders battled through the night to contain the flames and rescue those trapped on upper floors. Videos circulating on social media showed the building engulfed in fire, as firefighters struggled to gain control amid the chaos.
Legal action has already been initiated, with lawsuits filed against the building’s owner and the mall operators, according to reports from the Iraqi News Agency (INA). Governor Al-Mayahi has ordered a full investigation into the incident and pledged to release the preliminary findings within 48 hours.
In response to the catastrophe, local authorities have declared three days of mourning throughout Wasit province. The cause of the fire remains under investigation as the nation reels from one of its deadliest recent tragedies.
