A devastating fire tore through a newly opened mall, the Corniche Hypermarket Mall, in Kut, eastern Iraq, claiming the lives of at least 61 people. According to authorities, who have since launched an investigation, 11 people are still missing.
โThe tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them 14 charred bodies yet to be identified,โ the interior ministry said in a statement.
According to witnesses, a number of people suffocated in the bathrooms, while a person shared that five of his relatives died inside an elevator.
The fire was said to have broken on the first floor but spread really quickly and engulfed the entire building. Although the exact cause remains unknown, allegedly, the tragedy struck after an air-conditioner exploded.
Civil defense teams were able to rescue more than 45 people trapped inside the five-storey mall which includes a restaurant and a supermarket.
The place opened just five days before the disaster, marking one of the countryโs deadliest tragedies in recent years.
Nasir al-Quraishi, a doctor from Iraq, lost five family members in the fire.
โWe went to the mall to have some food, eat dinner and escape power cuts at home.
โAn air conditioner exploded on the second floor and then the fire erupted โ and we couldnโt escape,โ he said.
Governor Miyahi has declared a three-day period of mourning and disclosed that authorities intend to pursue legal action against the contractor and the mallโs proprietor. โThe tragedy is a major shockโฆ and requires a serious review of all safety measures,โย he said.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a โthorough probeโ into the fire to identify โshortcomingsโ and prevent further incidents.
Iraqโs construction sector often ignores safety rules, which leads to fires and incidents.
In 2023, more than 100 people lost their lives after a fire broke inside a crowded wedding hall, triggering a stampede. Two years prior, more than 60 people got killed when a COVID-19 unit of a hospital burned down.
The lack of adequate fire preventing systems and safety standards sparked anger among the people of Iraq.
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