A massive blaze tore through the newly opened Al-Kornish Hypermarket in Iraq’s eastern city of Kut on Wednesday, killing at least 61 people and prompting a wave of national grief and calls for accountability.

According to a statement released by Iraq’s Ministry of Interior on Thursday morning, the victims included men, women and children, many of whom reportedly died from suffocation in the building’s bathrooms due to thick smoke.

The ministry described the incident as “a deeply tragic incident that has shaken (Iraq’s) collective conscience,” noting that 14 bodies remained unidentified.

Footage geolocated by CNN showed the five-storey building engulfed in flames, with groups of people stranded on the rooftop as firefighters battled the inferno.

In another video released by regional authorities, emergency responders were seen helping trapped individuals escape through small windows.

“Despite the severity of the situation, Civil Defense teams heroically managed to rescue more than 45 people who were trapped inside the building, with remarkable dedication and courage,” the interior ministry said.

The hypermarket, which also housed a restaurant, had only been operational for seven days before the fire broke out. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, though Iraq has a history of deadly fires linked to poor safety standards and electrical faults.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani responded swiftly, ordering a fully equipped medical team to assist with rescue efforts and directing the Minister of Interior to launch an immediate investigation.

His office said the prime minister extended “heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed” and was praying for them to find comfort.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari confirmed that a high-level investigative committee had been formed to “identify all points of failure and responsibility,” adding that any party “found negligent” would be held accountable.

Wasit region governor Mohammed Jameel Al-Mayahi declared three days of mourning and announced that preliminary findings from the investigation would be released within 48 hours. A legal case has already been filed against the building’s owner, he said in a Facebook post.

The fire in Kut is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in Iraq attributed to lax enforcement of civil defense regulations.

In April 2021, a fire at Ibn al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad killed more than 80 patients after oxygen tanks exploded. More recently, in September 2023, a blaze at a wedding hall in Qaraqosh claimed at least 100 lives and injured 150 others.

The Al-Kornish Hypermarket tragedy has reignited calls for stricter safety protocols and enforcement to prevent further loss of life in public spaces across Iraq.

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Source: Legit.ng