A massive fire at the newly opened Corniche Hypermarket Mall in Kut, eastern Iraq, has killed at least 61 people, with 11 still missing. The five-story building, which included a supermarket and restaurant, had only been open for five days. Many victims reportedly suffocated, some trapped in restrooms, while 14 bodies were found completely burned.
Witnesses said the fire began on the first floor and spread quickly. Although the exact cause is under investigation, early reports suggest an air conditioner explosion may have sparked the blaze. One man said five of his relatives died while trapped in an elevator during the fire.
Civil defense teams managed to rescue over 45 people from the burning mall. Dr. Nasir al-Quraishi, who lost five family members, said they were there to escape power outages when the fire broke out. The tragedy is considered one of Iraq’s deadliest in recent years.
Governor Miyahi declared three days of mourning and said legal action would be taken against the mall’s owner and contractor. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for a full investigation. The disaster has renewed anger over poor safety standards, which have caused similar deadly fires in Iraq in recent years.
