A tragic fire at the newly opened Corniche Hypermarket Mall in Kut, eastern Iraq, has claimed the lives of at least 61 people, with 11 still missing. The five-story building, which had only opened five days prior, housed a supermarket and restaurant. Iraq’s Interior Ministry reported that 14 bodies were burned beyond recognition, and most victims died from suffocation, many found trapped in restrooms and elevators.

Witnesses say the fire began on the first floor and rapidly spread throughout the structure. Although initial reports suggest the cause may have been an air conditioner explosion, the precise origin remains under investigation. One man, Dr. Nasir al-Quraishi, lost five family members who had gone to the mall seeking relief from widespread power outages in the area.

Civil defense teams rescued over 45 individuals from the building, but the disaster stands as one of the deadliest fires in recent Iraqi history. In response, Governor Miyahi announced three days of mourning and pledged legal action against the mall’s owner and its construction contractor. He emphasized the urgent need for Iraq to reevaluate its national safety standards.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered a full government investigation into the incident to identify regulatory failures and prevent future tragedies. The government aims to determine what oversight was lacking in the mall’s design, construction, and emergency readiness.

The fire has reignited public outrage, especially in light of past disasters such as the 2021 COVID-19 hospital fire and the 2023 wedding hall blaze, both of which were also blamed on poor safety measures.