Over 60 Dead as Iraq Mall Fire Sparks Outrage

Iraqi people gather in front of a burning hypermarket building in Kut, Iraq, Thursday, July 17, 2025.

A massive fire ripped through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday night, leaving at least 61 people dead, including children, and injuring dozens more, officials confirmed.

The blaze erupted on the second floor of the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall, just one week after its grand opening. Authorities said the fire started in an area selling perfumes and cosmetics, allowing flames to spread rapidly throughout the building. Most victims reportedly died from suffocation, while 14 severely burned bodies remain unidentified.

Emergency services managed to rescue over 45 people trapped inside the mall, but several others are still missing. Heartbreaking scenes emerged as survivors described losing entire families in the inferno. “My neighbor’s whole family—six people—died in the fire,” said Abdul Redha Thahab, a local resident.   

Local officials and residents blamed the tragedy on poor fire safety standards. Images from the scene showed the building engulfed in flames, with no visible fire suppression systems in place.

Wasit Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi declared three days of mourning and announced legal action against the building owners, accusing them of illegally converting the structure into a shopping center without adhering to fire safety regulations.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited the site on Thursday and ordered an urgent investigation. He instructed the Interior Ministry to implement stricter safety measures to prevent similar disasters.

Iraq has a grim history of deadly fires blamed on weak enforcement of safety codes, including a hospital blaze in 2021 and a wedding hall fire in 2023, both resulting in heavy casualties. Demands for accountability are growing as grieving families call for justice.