A fire tore through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut overnight, killing at least 61 people, authorities said Thursday.
At least 61 people – including men, women and children – died in the blaze at the five-story Al-Kornish Hypermarket, and dozens more were rescued from the burning building, according to a statement from Iraq’s Ministry of Interior on Thursday morning.
Officials said many people suffocated in bathrooms.
“This heartbreaking fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom died from suffocation in the bathrooms due to the heavy smoke,” the interior ministry said, adding that it was “a deeply tragic incident that has shaken (Iraq’s) collective conscience.” The bodies of 14 people remained unidentified, it said.
Safety standards in Iraq’s construction sector are often disregarded, and the country, whose infrastructure is in disrepair after decades of conflict, often experiences fatal fires and accidents.
Fires increase during the blistering summer as temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
Governor Miyahi said local authorities would file a lawsuit against the mall’s owner and the building contractor.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a “thorough probe” into the fire to identify “shortcomings” and prevent further incidents.
Several countries, including Egypt, Iran and France, offered condolences to Iraq and the victims’ families.
