IRAQ: A catastrophic fire swept through a newly opened shopping mall in Kut, eastern Iraq, late Wednesday night, killing at least 61 people and leaving dozens more injured or missing. Grieving families gathered outside hospitals and morgues on Thursday, desperately searching for their loved ones.
According to Iraq’s Interior Ministry, most victims suffocated in bathrooms while seeking refuge from the flames. Fourteen of the deceased remain unidentified due to severe burns. The victims include men, women, and children, confirmed Wasit province governor Mohammed al-Miyahi.
Civil defence teams managed to rescue more than 45 people trapped inside the five-storey Hyper Mall, which had opened just five days earlier. The blaze reportedly began on the first floor and quickly spread throughout the building, which housed a restaurant and a supermarket. A survivor claimed the fire was sparked by an exploding air conditioner, though the exact cause is still under investigation.
Emergency services worked through the night. Ambulances continued transporting victims to overwhelmed hospitals as late as 4:00 am. At the provincial forensic department, an AFP reporter saw charred bodies arriving, underscoring the fire’s horrific impact.
Rescue operations were still ongoing Thursday morning, as firefighters searched for any remaining victims inside the scorched structure.
Outside hospitals, heart-wrenching scenes unfolded. Distraught relatives sobbed, some collapsing in grief. Videos circulating on social media captured the agony of those waiting for news, with many visibly overwhelmed by sorrow and disbelief.
