On the morning of the 17th, local time, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced that a severe fire in Kut city, the capital of Waset province, has resulted in 61 deaths.
The statement revealed that the fire broke out on the night of the 16th and was caused by a supermarket located on a five-story commercial building. The building had only been open for seven days. As of now, the fire has claimed 61 lives, with most victims succumbing to asphyxiation due to thick smoke in the bathrooms, while another 14 bodies are still unidentified due to severe burns. Currently, the Civil Protection Department has rescued 45 people trapped.
The Iraqi Minister of Interior has ordered the establishment of a high-level investigation committee to determine the cause of the fire and clarify the responsibilities and mistakes involved.
Iraq’s Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Sudaniya, also issued an instruction on the same day, demanding an immediate investigation to prevent similar tragedies from occurring again. He also dispatched a fully equipped medical team to support on-site treatment and expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims.
On the evening of the 16th and into the early hours of the 17th, a major supermarket in Kut city, the provincial capital of Waset province in eastern Iraq, suddenly caught fire. Video footage showed the supermarket building engulfed in flames, with many people calling for help from the rooftop.
The Governor of Waset Province urgently ordered all hospitals in the province to be on full alert and coordinated efforts from municipal, water and sewage departments to participate in firefighting and rescue operations.
In the early hours of the 17th, the Governor of Waset Province announced that the province would mourn the victims for three days. He promised to release preliminary findings of the fire investigation to the public within 48 hours. He also stated that authorities in Waset Province have initiated legal proceedings against the building owner, supermarket manager, and all responsible individuals. (CCTV Wang Yin)