Massive fire engulfs a hypermarket in Iraq, killing almost 80 people
Preliminary information indicates that the fire was caused by the lack of safety measures. The Iraqi government ordered an investigation into the incident.
Almost 80 killed and several others injured after a large fire broke out at a hypermarket shopping mall in Al-Kut, Iraq. Photo: screenshot
At least 77 people were killed after a massive fire broke out in a hypermarket in the eastern Iraqi city of Al-Kut on Wednesday, July 16, according to security officials.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday that most of the people killed in the newly opened shopping center died inside the bathrooms from suffocation due to the heavy smoke. The ministry added that civil defense crews managed to rescue 45 people after being trapped inside the building.
The statement also pointed out that the Iraqi Minister of Interior Abdul Amir Al-Shammari ordered the formation of a supreme investigation committee in order to probe the cause of the fire, and identify the shortcomings with accuracy and transparency.
The ministry vowed to hold anyone proven to be negligent or responsible accountable, and to publish the outcomes of the comprehensive technical investigations immediately upon completion.
Preliminary information indicates lack of safety measures
Footage circulated online and testimonies of several residents of Al-Kut suggest that the hypermarket building lacked necessary safety measures, including emergency exits and fire protection systems.
Provincial Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi also claimed that fire safety measures were not implemented when the building was converted into a shopping center.
The tragic incident is reminiscent of another massive fire, which tore through an event hall during a wedding party in Iraq’s northern Nineveh Governorate in 2023, leaving over 110 people dead.
The two disastrous incidents have raised concerns that safety measures at Iraqi construction sites are poorly observed by the concerned authorities.
