(LONDON) — An overnight fire at a shopping mall in Iraq has killed more than 60 people, according to the country’s interior ministry.
The massive fire broke out early Thursday in the new, five-story shopping center in Kut, the capital of the Wasit province in eastern Iraq.
Most of the 61 victims died from smoke inhalation in the building’s bathrooms, while 14 others were severely burned, according to the interior ministry. Forty-five people were rescued, it said.
Rescue teams worked for hours to recover bodies trapped inside the charred structure, battling dense smoke and debris.
Iraqi authorities have declared three days of national mourning as search and recovery operations continue.
The Wasit governor, Mohammed Mayahi, described the fire as a national disaster. Many of the victims are believed to be entire families caught in the fire, with Mayahi saying children were among those killed.
“The day is painful for all of Wasit,” he said.
An investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the fire, the interior ministry said. Investigators have been tasked with determining whether violations of fire codes or construction standards played a role.
The blaze erupted less than a week after the Corniche shopping mall opened.
Mayahi said legal complaints had been filed against the building owner, the mall operator and others involved in the case.
“There will be no leniency,” he said.
The Kut disaster follows a series of similar incidents in Iraq recent years. In 2023, more than 100 people died after a fire started by pyrotechnic devices swept through a wedding hall in Hamdaniyah. The incident drew national outrage, raising broader concerns about public venue safety and allegations of corruption in the approval of business licenses.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
