A fire at a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut has killed at least 61 people, officials said, as families searched for missing relatives. The blaze broke out on Wednesday evening at the five-storey Corniche Hypermarket mall, reportedly starting on the first floor before spreading rapidly.
The cause is not yet confirmed, but a survivor said an air conditioning unit exploded. Many victims suffocated in bathrooms, and charred bodies were taken to the province’s forensic department. The interior ministry said 14 bodies remain unidentified.
Ali Kadhim, 51, described shuttling between the mall and hospital looking for his cousin, who is missing with his wife and three children. Another survivor, Nasir al-Quraishi, lost five family members: “We went to the mall to have some food … an air conditioner exploded … and we couldn’t escape.”
Safety standards in Iraq are frequently neglected, and the country has seen numerous fatal fires. In September 2023, at least 100 died in a wedding hall fire, and in July 2021, a hospital Covid unit fire killed more than 60. The provincial governor of Wasit said local authorities would sue the mall’s owner and building contractor.
The Iraqi government declared three days of mourning. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a thorough investigation into the fire to identify shortcomings and prevent further incidents.
