Overview

• At least 61 people died in the fire that tore through the newly opened five-storey mall in Al-Kut, and 11 remain unaccounted for.
• Civil defense teams rescued more than 45 individuals who were trapped inside the blazing complex overnight.
• Wasit’s governor declared a three-day mourning period as hospitals continue treating scores of survivors.
• Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani directed the Interior Ministry to lead the inquiry with initial results due within 48 hours, and the Wasit governor has filed lawsuits against the mall’s owner and management.
• The disaster highlights enduring weaknesses in Iraq’s building codes and enforcement after similar deadly fires in 2021 and 2023.