New Delhi: A devastating blaze tore through a bustling shopping center in southern Iraq on Thursday, killing around 50 people and leaving many others injured. Eyewitness accounts and viral footage captured the horror as flames consumed the five-story building in Al-Kut, turning a routine day of shopping and dining into chaos.
Rescue teams battled the inferno for hours, pulling survivors from the wreckage while thick smoke billowed into the sky. According to Mohammad Al-Mayahi, the governor of Wasit province, the fire broke out in a hypermarket and adjacent restaurant, catching dozens off guard as they ate or browsed stores. “We’ve managed to extinguish the flames and save several lives,” he told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), though he noted the death toll could rise as investigations continue.
The mall, which had only opened its doors five days earlier, now stands as a charred shell. Initial probes suggest the fire started on the ground floor, but the exact cause remains unknown. Authorities have promised preliminary findings within the next two days. In response to the tragedy, Iraq has declared three days of national mourning, with flags lowered across the country.
Ambulances rushed to the scene in Al-Kut, about 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, ferrying the wounded to overflowing hospitals. Social media has been flooded with heartbreaking images and videos showing firefighters desperately hosing down the structure amid panicked crowds.
Governor Al-Mayahi has already filed charges against the building’s owners, citing potential safety lapses. This incident echoes a grim pattern in Iraq; just last year, a wedding hall fire in the north claimed over 100 lives and injured 150 more, highlighting ongoing concerns about fire safety in public venues.
As families grieve and officials dig deeper, the community in Wasit reels from yet another preventable disaster.