___________ A fire swept through a recently opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut during the night, resulting in the death of at least 61 individuals, according to officials on Thursday, as heartbroken families continued their search for loved ones who went missing.
The fire — the latest in a nation where safety rules are often ignored — erupted late Wednesday, reportedly beginning on the ground floor before quickly spreading to the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall.
The reason remained unclear at first, but one survivor reported to AFP that an air conditioner had exploded.
Multiple individuals told AFP that they had lost relatives — and in certain instances, entire families — who had visited the mall to shop and eat just days after it opened in Kut, approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad.
Videos posted on social media depicted individuals, including kids, perched on rooftops, pleading for assistance.
An AFP reporter described witnessing burned remains at the provincial forensic facility.
Ali Kadhim, 51, mentioned that he had been traveling back and forth between the mall and the primary hospital, where the injured were taken, in search of his cousin, who is missing together with his wife and three children.
Back at the shopping center, he nervously awaited as emergency workers scoured the debris for those trapped, with an ambulance ready nearby.
"We are unaware of what occurred to them," he stated.
An AFP reporter on the scene mentioned that the fire had been controlled and the front part of the structure was heavily burned.
The interior ministry stated in a release that "the devastating fire resulted in the deaths of 61 innocent individuals, with many suffocating in the bathrooms, and 14 bodies that were burned and remain unidentified."
'We couldn't escape' The official INA news agency later cited a medical source who reported 63 fatalities and 40 people injured.
The provincial governor of Wasit, Mohammed al-Miyahi, informed INA that the victims comprised men, women, and children.
A healthcare official in Kut informed AFP that there were "numerous unidentified corpses."
More than 45 individuals were rescued by civil defense teams from within the building, which houses a restaurant and a supermarket, according to the interior ministry.
The main hospital's ward was overcrowded, while in other areas, an AFP reporter observed heartbroken family members waiting at the forensic unit for updates, with some falling to the ground in sorrow.
A man broke down, beating his chest and shouting.
Dr. Nasir al-Quraishi, a man in his 50s, mentioned that he lost five relatives in the blaze.
A catastrophe has occurred," he said to AFP. "We went to the mall to have some food, have dinner, and avoid power outages at home.
An air conditioner burst on the second floor, and then the fire broke out — and we were unable to flee.
Lax safety regulations Moataz Karim, aged 45, hurried to the shopping center at midnight, only to learn the heartbreaking information that three of his family members had gone missing.
Several hours later, he recognized the burnt remains of two family members, one of whom had started employment at the mall three days prior.
"No fire suppression system is in place," he said with anger, waiting for more updates outside the forensic department.
Iraq's construction industry frequently ignores safety regulations, and the nation, which has suffered from deteriorating infrastructure due to years of warfare, regularly faces deadly fires and incidents.
Blazes become more frequent during the scorching summer when temperatures reach up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
In September 2023, a fire resulted in the death of at least 100 individuals as it spread through a packed Iraqi wedding venue, causing a frantic rush towards the exits.
In July 2021, a fire broke out in the Covid-19 ward of a hospital in southern Iraq, resulting in over 60 fatalities.
Governor Miyahi stated that local officials would initiate legal action against the mall's proprietor and the construction company.
"The tragedy came as a significant shock... and demands a thorough examination of all safety protocols," he stated.
The authorities announced a three-day period of remembrance.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for a "comprehensive investigation" into the fire to uncover "flaws" and avoid similar occurrences.
Numerous nations, such as Egypt, Iran, and France, extended their sympathies to Iraq and the families of the victims.
The U.S. embassy in Baghdad also expressed "its most sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims."
In September 2023, a fire resulted in the deaths of at least 100 individuals as it spread through a packed Iraqi wedding venue, causing a frantic rush toward the exits.
In July 2021, a fire broke out in the Covid ward of a hospital in southern Iraq, resulting in the deaths of over 60 individuals.